


Icarus' Wings

by Keefer (Xiel)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Homophobia, M/M, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-31
Updated: 2014-11-03
Packaged: 2017-12-22 00:05:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 33,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/906538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xiel/pseuds/Keefer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Spartan Princes were looking for a distraction when they came to the city of Athens, but what they got was far worse. Would they be able to put aside their differences and fight the oncoming storm that threatened to rip the ground out from underneath their feet? </p>
<p>Destiel and Sabriel. Other ships to follow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Look who makes their own bed

**Author's Note:**

> I must apologize now, there are going to be VERY long Authors notes, but I strongly suggest you read them all.
> 
> I am a history nut, but with that being said, I do not know everything there is to know about anything. In fact, I hardly know anything in retrospect of those who have studied Ancient Greece for a living. I am trying to write this story with as much accuracy as I can, but there will be mistakes and for those I apologize. I will inform you of any deliberate misinformation (it will only be there due to story flow) and will define terms and clear up questions. Don't be afraid to ask about anything and everything, I don't want you reading this story if you don't understand what is being said.
> 
> I do not own Supernatural, the characters, or any of its affiliations.

**Sparta, 490 B.C.**

Dust rose from the ground as the two men circled each other, the sun beating on their backs. The two sons of King Johnaus and Queen Marian, Samthrian and Denathus, gave fused glances of pure steel, eyeing up their opponent and categorizing their weaknesses. The younger of the two, Samthrian, was a pure bred Spartan. A man made of pure muscle with a height that towered above all others. His eyes were the brown of Sparta, his long hair the strong chestnut brown that each Greek wore. His older brother Denathus was the opposite. His height and physic spoke of his Spartan heritage, but his features boasted of his mother and her Italian background. The King had commanded a raid to the small Isle of Sicily off the coast of Italia, bringing back wealth and slaves. This is where he first met Marian, her foreign beauty capturing his eye and heart. She was a mere eighteen years to his thirty-five, but that made no difference to the King. Within the year they were married, Denathus arriving ten months later.

Many objected to the King's marriage to the Italian, but none were brave enough to bring it up to the Ephors. The only man willing to say a word was the King's advisor Robertis, married to the fair Ellain who was with child at the time. He consoled his friend, telling him of the people's thoughts, saying they thought it betrayal and blasphemy against the gods to taint Spartan blood in such a way. Johnaus ignored his friend, saying that if the gods did not approve of their marriage that a sign would be sent.

The sign never arrived and soon Samthrian was born to the King and Queen just four years after his brother. By this time Robertis and Ellain had a daughter, a young girl by the name of Johannus, a headstrong child who fought just as whole heartedly as the boys that she played with. She was a Spartan woman through and through. She became fast friends with Samthrian and Denathus, playing with the boys with just as much vigor as the two rowdy youth.

Once Denathus reached the age of seven he was taken from his family and sent to the nearest barracks. There he was stripped of his possessions, given only a red cloak and a bed of reeds, which he had to collect and cut himself. His rations were half of what he needed to survive, the rest stolen from the kitchens when ever possible. Denathus learned quickly to never be caught, unable to lie on his back for a week after the beating that he had received. His training was grueling, his mind formed to obey orders, his replies shortened to yes or no. He never questioned, he never spoke, and he never screamed in pain or anguish. He thrived with four hours of sleep, a blessing that he never took for granted. His body hardened as the years passed, muscle layering on his frame with each passing month. His mind sharpened, his cunning beyond compare. Denathus was able to create battle strategies in an instant, memorize maps with a glance, and he could out think any opponent he was faced with. After thirteen years, during the twentieth year of his life, Denathus finally became a soldier of Sparta.

Five years later he stood in the courtyard of his father's home, his recently returned brother across from him. The men wore nothing but under garments, the red cloaks they had been formed and shaped under cast to the side. Denathus kept his amulet on, the golden head swinging against his chest with every step that he took. He was the first to move, feigning a sweep at his brothers legs, one that if executed would have pulled the feet right from underneath him.

Samthrian countered as Denathus expected him too, grabbing his wrists and pushing them to the side of his body. Samthrian grabbed for Denathus' waist, aiming to up heave his brother and throw his back to the ground, but he found it missing. Denathus had rolled with the momentum of Samthrian shoving his arms away, coming up behind his younger brother and placing a foot in his back, forcing the man to the ground. Denathus remained standing as Samthrian pushed to his feet, dirt covering the front of his body. The younger turned and made a swipe for his brother's head, the elder easily ducking it. Denathus' hand rose and caught Samuel's by the wrist, using the swing to twist the arm behind his brother's back. Samthrian's eyes hardened as pain shot up his shoulder. Raising a leg he brought his heel against the inside of Denathus' foot, causing a moment of surprise, which allowed him to free himself. Spinning he brought a fist up, catching Denathus in his side.

The air rushed out of Denathus' lungs, his body naturally curling in on itself to protect vital organs. Another blow rained down on the back of his neck, causing him to fall to one knee in the dirt. There was a moment's hesitation from Samthrian and that was all the Denathus needed. Swinging his leg he caught the ankles of his brother, the taller of the two falling to the ground hard on his back. Denathus was on his brother's chest in an instant, hand raised for a fatal blow he would never inflict on his brother. Both boys held each other's gaze, neither moving until a slow clapping was heard echoing through the courtyard.

Denathus looked up and saw his father in the archway, a smile plastered on his face, "Well done my sons. You truly make Sparta proud."

Denathus smiled at his fathers praise, getting up off his brother and holding out a hand to help him to his feet. Samthrian took it, letting his brother easily pull him to his feet. Denathus landed a hand on his shoulder, smirking as he said, "Never hesitate Sammy, that fraction of a second was all that an enemy would need to end your life."

Samthrian rolled his eyes, ignoring his brother as he placed his cloak over his shoulders, "You just can't admit that I beat you."

Denathus scoffed, reassembling his own cloak, "I was just letting you win. I have to teach you some how bitch."

Samthrian shot Denathus a look of contempt, "Jerk."

A feminine laugh was heard from beside Johnaus, Johannus appearing beside the King, "You two both need to grow a pair and admit to when you are beaten. Besides, neither of you would be able to defeat me." The young woman was a beauty unto her own, long brown hair bleached a fair blonde due to years in the sun and eyes that glimmered like moonlight.

Denathus smiled down upon his friend, bringing her hand to his lips to place a chaste kiss there, "None would be able to best a maiden as fair as yourself."

Samthrian shoved past his brother, use to the antics between him and their friend. Johannus blushed and smacked Denathus playfully on the arm, smiling the entire time. Denathus took her arm and placed it on his, walking her towards the center of the palace. Only Samthrian knew of Johannus' fondness of the Prince, Denathus remained oblivious to every advance that she presented to him. The prince had just celebrated his twenty-fifth birthday and was expected to choose a wife soon. It was a rarity for Spartan men to go so long without marrying, his father seen to be past his prime when he married Marian. Samthrian was to be married within the season to a maiden by the name of Jessius, a beauty that had many asking for her hand in marriage, but only Samthrian won the heart of.

As Samthrian made his way to meet with his wife to be, Denathus and Johannus made their way to the fields, the ground being worked by the many Messenians and Helots, land owners and slaves, the keen eye of the Krypterria watching their every move. Their land had been taken over by the Dorian's generations ago, a fierce tribe coming from the north and sweeping through the lands, conquering everywhere they went. These were the people that the Spartans descended from, the need to fight never leaving their blood. The workers never lifted their heads, bowing at the presence of the two royals as they walked by.

The pair headed to a hill on the outside of the palace, a place where they were granted a view of the entire city and surrounding fields. The city was fair, nothing spectacular to gaze upon, built for sturdiness and fortification, not splendor or galore like the city of Athens, a place that Spartans had only heard about and spoke of in distasteful tongues. The land surrounding the city was deep brown, the soil turned and ready to be planted by hundreds of hands.

There was a lone tree at the top of the hill, one that the three royals often climbed together as children. The band of misfits had also carved their names into the bark using sharp stones the day before Denathus' seventh birthday. The day before they would be separated for thirteen years. Johannus loosen her grip on Denathus' arm and sat with her back against the tree, facing the city and the land beyond. Denathus stood beside her, arms clasped behind his back as if he were standing watch over the girl. Johannus saw this, taking Denathus' hand in hers and tugging him down to sit beside her. Denathus followed, giving in to the girl's wishes.

Neither spoke for a fair while, their eyes focused on the sight before them rather than on each other. It was Denathus that broke the silence first, his voice strong as he spoke, "Jo, as you know, my twenty-fifth year has recently passed and I have yet to take a wife," Johannus turned at this, her eyes glued to the man beside her as he continued, "I have known you my whole life and there is no one I would rather ask this question," Denathus turned to the woman beside him, his face as serious as a mountain side, "Johannus, would you become my wife?"

Johannus could not stop the smile that broke across her face, moisture seeping into the corners of her eyes as she whispered, "Yes, Denathus, yes." Denathus broke into a smile just as jubilant as Johannus'. Taking her chin in his hands he pulled her close, placing a firm kiss on her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> History Lesson! I'll try and keep this brief…
> 
> Messenian= Slaves owned by the state of Sparta
> 
> Helots= Personal Slaves
> 
> Krypterria= Specialized soliders given the task of preventing another Helot revolt.
> 
> Ephors= Highest power in Sparta. 5 men elected every year who over see the senate and assembly.
> 
> The government in Sparta is as such (lowest to highest):
> 
> The assembly: consisting of citizens over 30, approve legislation and choose Senators and Ephors.
> 
> Senators: 28 men over the age of 60. Present legislation and advise the Kings.
> 
> Kings: 2 royal families, the title gets passed from father to son. Chief magistrates and the head of the army. Part of the Senate.
> 
> Ephors: 5 men. Head of education and military training.
> 
> Side note, the only reason that Denathus and Samthrian are in their fathers home is because of their status as Princes. If it were not for this they would be living as soldiers in the barracks until their 30th birthday. After that they could live with their families and own land but would have to eat in the barracks every day until their 60th birthday when they could finally retire.
> 
> The second King in this story is Cleomenes, the man who stopped the first Helot revolt and organized a system to keep them in check (if you want to know what it was, message me. Way to complicated to explain here). And yes, he is real. I didn't make him up.


	2. Lies right down within it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Definitions! Yay! Here were go…
> 
> Deme= Tribe/District. There are 10 within Athens.
> 
> The Assembly (a.k.a Ecclesia)= all citizens (males over 18 born in Athens to citizens) gathered to create laws.
> 
> Council of Boule/500= Men over 30, 50 are chosen yearly from each deme to represent the people. Prepare legislation, conduct daily administration, and take care of foreign affairs.
> 
> Archons (Magistrates)= 9 men chosen by lot each year. In charge of religious festivals and preside over law courts.
> 
> Council of Elders (Areopagus)= Ex-Archons. They try crimes, are in charge of the justice system and the law. Gather on the Hill of Ares (a.k.a. Mars Hill) and take care of major trials (homicide, religious, and crimes against the government).
> 
> Court of Appeal (Heliaea)= 6000 jurors that are picked from lot each year. Paid to try all cases not heard by the Areopagus.
> 
> Strategoi= 10 men, 1 from each Deme. The assembly votes yearly by ballot and the position can be held more than once. In charge of the military (army and navy) and the defense of Athens.
> 
> Himation= Outer layer worn by both men and women.
> 
> Chiton= Inner layer worn by men.

**Athens 490 B.C.**

Castiel walked with purpose through the halls of the Council, his head buried in the scroll between his hands. He was checking over the legislation one more time before presenting it to the Council of Boule. As a citizen of Athens Castiel had no right to come before the Council with this legislation, he was breaking several laws to even appear before them uninvited. At a mere twenty years old Castiel had no right to be in the Council chambers, having to be ten years his senior to even be nominated to have such an honor. But Castiel could not wait ten years for this law to been seen or passed. The representatives of his Deme would just not listen, so Castiel hoped that the other four hundred and fifty would.

Castiel was the youngest of four sons and three sisters; three of his own brothers holding places of honor in the government themselves. Lucifer had been appointed to the Council of Elders this very year after serving as an Archon five years previous. The year that he had been an Archon had been the best for festivals and ceremonies, many people praising his talent and claiming the gods smiled down on him. Lucifer now had the duty to preside over trials at the Hill of Ares, bringing the law of Athens to the most critical of cases. Gabriel had been appointed to the Court of Appeal, going to trials every day to appear as juror during court. He was to cast his vote on guilt and make judgment on the punishment of the criminal. Gabriel was not particularly fond of his job, but he was paid daily so he never complained. And lastly Michael, the golden boy of the family, had been elected to become a Strategoi, leader of the Athenian army and navy. There was only one appointed from each Deme, making ten in total, and Michael had been chosen. Their father had been beside himself, the greatest feast that the family had ever seen was held in his sons honor.

This cast a great shadow on Castiel, a burden of great proportions that he had to lift. There was much to be expected from him, each of his brothers earning a seat in the government of Athens, something every Athenian dreamed of. Castiel only hoped of joining the Council of Boule once he reached thirty, but his dream was to become a part of the Council of Elders.

His hands shook as he neared the Council room, the voices from the men within reaching out towards him, clear and concise as the echoed off the polished marble walls. The hall was only a fraction of the beauty that was the city of Athens. The central buildings formed out of mountains of marble, gold and precious metals adorning the walls. There were sculptures and statues everywhere, the paint that covered them creating the idea that they were ready to walk off their pedestals. But no matter what beauty was seen in the city, it was no comparison to the future temple of Athena, the goddess that the city was named after. The temple was going to be a testament to the goddess, a monument built only for her worship. It will take years to build and thousands of men to form. It will stand on the top of the acropolis, a beacon that each citizen could look to for hope and guidance.

Castiel sent a quick pray to the goddess Athena for wisdom and guidance before entering the chamber, stealing himself against the reactions and scrutiny that he knew would be sent his way. The moment that he set foot in the Council's presence the room went silent. The 500 men were seated in a circle; each Deme assigned their own section. Every eye turned to him, several questioning while the majority settled on insolence. Not one person spoke, Castiel remained frozen in the doorway of the chamber, unsure as how to proceed.

The oldest of the Council spoke first, rising from his seat across the room, "Who are you young man?"

Castiel cleared his throat, shifting his weight before answering, "Castiel sir."

The man nodded, clasping his hands before him, "Castiel, that is Hebrew is it not?"

Castiel nodded, "Yes sir. My mother came from across the Mediterranean, from the lands of ancient Mesopotamia."

The man smiled, ushering Castiel into the room with one hand, "What is your purpose here Castiel?"

Castiel entered the center of the room, turning several times before deciding to face the man who had been speaking to him, his back to many of the council members, "I am here to speak to the Council, I have an issue that I must bring before you."

The man sat down, leaning his arms against his knees as he examined the boy, "And why did you not bring this before the leaders of your Deme?"

Castiel clutched the parchment tighter, "I did sir, but they would not listen."

The man leant back, motioning for Castiel to proceed, "Very well. You may speak."

Castiel took a deep breath before addressing the Council, "Gentlemen, I am the youngest son of Charlleus, a scribe. As you know, a man has his profession handed down from his father and is set in the profession for the rest of his life. But what if that man is unable to support his family in that profession, or does not contain the skills for that profession? He will wither away and die, a burden to society. What I have come to propose to you men is that you pass a law that allows a man, with adequate proof and reason, to change his profession to one that is more suitable to his talents and skills. I have written up my proposal should you choose to read it," Castiel placed the paper on an empty seat in the chamber before moving back to the middle of the room, "Thank you gentlemen for hearing my proposition." Castiel then placed his right hand on his chest and bowed.

The man nodded at Castiel, "Thank you Castiel. We shall look over it."

Castiel bowed one more time before leaving, his head held high. It was when he was out of the building and standing on the streets that Castiel's nerves finally hit him, everything from his stomach fighting to be let free. He bent over on the side of the road, his throat stinging with bile and eyes filling with tears as his stomach emptied its contents. Castiel's hands shook as he righted himself, knees quivering as he looked around him. Few people had noticed him, many ignoring him and passing him off as another drunk.

Wiping his mouth Castiel walked away from the building, heading towards his house. The walk took around ten minutes to arrive at the middle class section of Athens. The people who lived here were tradesmen and artists, those who created for the city of Athens. Charlleus' house was a modest one for the size of their family and of their wealth. There was nothing in excess or splendor, very unlike the rest of the city. Castiel felt that this was the only place that he could relax, where he did not have to put on a face and act in such a way. This home was his safe haven, a spot for him and him alone.

Castiel entered through the archway, vines hanging down between the arches, flowers blooming and giving off their own unique fragrances. Beyond the arches was the main courtyard, a fountain resembling Hestia placed in the center. The vines extended to the pillars, spiraling up and down the carved marble. The roof was open, letting the sunlight stream into the open space and illuminating the area. Castiel shrugged off his himation, leaving him in his chiton. His sandaled feet crossed the grass, the smell accentuated due to the fresh trimming.

Castiel passed through the court and up the three steps into the center of the house where every hallway eventually lead. The center room had three hallways branching from it. The Eastern lead to the girls room, the western to the boys. The north hallway leads to the master bedroom, kitchen, and bath. Beyond the house was a garden, a dozen olive trees providing shade to the rest of the plants and herbs. There were four couches in the center room, a facing the table that was placed between them. Gabriel was lounging on one of the couches, feet in the air and a bowl of dates and sugared fruit on his chest.

Castiel tried to move as silently as possible, not ready to deal with his brother's antics at the moment. Unfortunately it was not silently enough. Gabriel's head snapped up, a smile crawling across his face, "Cassie!" He swung his feet around, taking the bowl from his chest and placing it on the table before getting up to hug his brother. Castiel was stiff as his brothers arms encased him, Gabriel lifting him into the air for a moment before putting him back down. Gabriel sat on the edge of the table, popping a date into his mouth before speaking, "So how'd it go Cassie?"

Castiel rearranged the himation on his arm, focused on the fabric and not on his brother, "It went well, they listened to the proposal and agreed to read over the legislation. The seed has been planted, now we just need to wait for it to grow."

Gabriel smiled around the fruit that was on his lips, his free hand coming out to smack Castiel on the arm, "Well done Cassie boy! We'll make a fine Athenian out of you yet."

Castiel sighed, leaving his brother behind him as he walked to his room. The room was simple, his bed underneath the window on the far wall, desk across from it and shelves beside it. Castiel placed the himation on his bed before moving to sit at his desk. The wood was well used and chipped, the years that Castiel had spent learning on it had taken it's toll. Castiel took one of the parchments that were stacked in the corner of the desk, laying it flat beside a blank document. Taking a deep breath Castiel put his pen to the parchment and started to write.


	3. And what will you have left?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Yall are going to hate me for this. It was the only way…
> 
> Anywho, I beg leniency with my historical facts, I might have had to twist them a bit to get what I wanted with this chapter. Especially when it comes to housing in Ancient Greece. But enough with technicalities, on with the show!

The cry echoed through the palace, waking all those who still slept. Denathus was one of those, sitting straight up in his bed with a startled gasp. Throwing the thin blanket off his form he ran out of his room and down the corridor towards the courtyard. His father and Robertis were already there, a solider giving his report to the two men. Denathus could make out only one word, fire.

The man sprinted out of the palace walls and into the city, following the smoke rising in the center of the buildings. His panic increased as he neared the source, his adrenalin pumping with each beat of his heart. A fire was one of the worse disasters that could befall a person. The houses of Sparta were built of stone, but the supports were composed of wood. A fire would consume the beams in minutes, leaving the stone to stand on it's own. Once the wood was weakened enough the entire building would collapse, hundreds of pounds of rock falling on any within the building, crushing them to death.

Denathus arrived at the home, flames engulfing the building as they poured out heat. Men were already filing buckets and tossing them on the fire, a feeble attempt at keeping the flames under control. Denathus saw Samthrian running towards him, his stride never faltering. He flew past Denathus, running straight into the building without a second thought. Denathus called out for him, begging his brother to come back out. When he received no reply he followed, jumping the flames that threatened to consume him whole.

The heat gnawed at his flesh, blistering under the extreme temperature. Denathus took a labored breath, the oxygen thinning as the flames grew. Denathus fought his way forward, crying out his brothers name every few feet. With every lack of reply Denathus' perusal became more fervent. He pressed into the depths of the house, one arm over his face to keep out the smoke while his eyes searched every room.

His feet took him to the far end of the house, the last room he had yet to search. There he found Samthrian, his brother bent over a crumpled form. It took Denathus a moment to realize that Samthrian held Jessius, her body hanging limp in his arms. Samthrian was rocking her body in his arms, his hands moving the hair from her face as he whispered to her, tears cutting through the ash on his face.

Denathus went to his brother and pulled him from the ground, Samthrian fighting to stay next to his betrothed. Denathus wrapped his arms around his brother, pressing his chest to his brothers back as he pulled him from the room.

Samthrian fought his brothers grip, struggling to get back to Jessius' side, "No, Dean! No! Jess!"

Denathus ignored his brother as he forced him out of the flames and onto the street. His brother continued to struggle, crying out over and over again, "Jess! She's still in there! Jess!"

Denathus kept his grip on his brother, Samthrian collapsing in his arms, causing both men to kneel on the gritty dirt. His brother cried himself hoarse, begging to be let back in to save her. Denathus held his brother close, hand running over his hair over and over again as he whispered, "She's gone Sam. Jess is gone."

Silence plagued the city the following day as slaves worked on clearing the ruins of what was once the home of Jessius and her family. People went on with their work, a sense of emptiness hanging over the heads of every person under Spartan rule. Samthrian remained in his room, locked away from the moment that Denathus brought him back to the palace. Denathus fought the urge to go to his brother, forcing himself to continue with his every day habits. Sorrow was something that no one indulged in.

Samthrian finally emerged from his room that night, joining the royals for the evening meal. No one spoke of the incident, small talk being passed around the table in hesitancy. Samthrian never spoke, eating morsels to appease his mother. He was ignored for most of the meal, the others avoiding making eye contact with the brooding man at the other end of the table. All attention was brought to him though when he gently placed his hands on the table and stood up. "I wish to leave."

Johnaus turned, shifting his attention from his wife to his son, "And where would you go?" He asked, his mood light and entertained.

Samthrian met his father's eye, stating unwaveringly, "Athens."

Denathus choked on the bite he was chewing, the meat lodging itself in his throat. The others around the table copied the reaction also. Both Marian's and Ellain's jaws hung open, Johannus looked with disbelief at her friend as Robertis and Johnaus both glared at the man. Robertis was the first to speak, "Are you insane boy? What in the name of the gods would posses you to travel to Athens?"

Samthrian crossed his powerful arms, the muscles standing out against his tan skin, "I must clear my mind, something that I cannot do here. What better place than in a city that is the exact opposite of ours?"

Johnaus glared at his son, voice beginning to growl, "Now listen here boy-" Johnaus was silenced by the presence of his wife's hand on his arm. Marian looked at her son, her eyes expressing her understanding. She needn't say anything for Samthrian to know that he had permission to head to the foreign city.

Denathus knew this too so he cleared his throat and stated, "I am going with you."

Samthrian turned to his brother, a protest on his lips, "No Dean, I can't ask you to do that for me."

Denathus stood, a subconscious act of authority, "You aren't asking, and neither am I. I am coming Sam, and that's final."

Samthrian made no retort, Denathus' statement accepted with a nod. Johnaus spoke, taking the attention away from the two men, "I do not approve of this, but it seems that I have no choice. Samthrian and Denathus, you will leave tomorrow at first light, given that Cleomenes agrees. May the gods be with you."

The following morning Denathus and Samthrian met at the city gates, the sun peaking over the eastern mountains. Denathus walked towards his solemn brother who was gazing out over the wild land. Both men were dressed the same, bodies naked except for the leather and cloth encasing their genitalia. Their red cloaks flowed over their shoulders, the end sweeping just millimeters above the ground and sandaled feet. Both had a sword encased at their side, the weapon a permanent part of their anatomy, neither man went any where without it.

There were no packs or provisions to be seen, a Spartan did not need any. Any food that they needed would be hunted and killed along the way. Shelter would provide itself, if it were deemed necessary. All that was needed was the cloak on their back and the sword at their side. Anything else was unnecessary and vain.

Denathus stopped at his brother's side, gaze following Samthrian's. They stood still for a moment, the image of the valley slowly brightening enough to take the breath away from any who looked upon it. Denathus finally turned to his brother, "Are you ready?"

Samthrian turned to Denathus, his gaze blank, "Always."

Both men turned to towards the northeast to begin their journey when a call from the city stopped them. Turning, the brothers saw the form of Johannus running towards them, her hair flying behind her, robes mimicking the same flight. Her eyes were glued on Denathus, her stride taking her right into his arms.

Johannus flung her arms around Denathus' neck, pulling him tight into her body. Denathus wrapped his arms around her waist, holding the young woman to his chest. Johannus kept her grip on Denathus; whispering in his ear, "Promise that you are going to come back to me."

Denathus pulled away from the girl, holding her shoulders in his hands, "Jo, nothing could ever keep me away from you."

Johannus smiled at her prince, hand stroking his cheek for a moment before moving to the back of his neck. With a firm grip she tugged Denathus' head down to her level, placing a bruising kiss on his lips. Denathus put his hands on the sides of her face, diving into the kiss himself.

Samthrian turned from the pair, giving them some sort of privacy. Denathus was that first to pull away, gazing into Johannus' eyes, "You are the only woman who holds my heart. And you are the only one who will receive it."

Johannus released her arms from around Denathus' neck, placing a chaste kiss on Denathus' lips before heading back into the city, fleeting glances cast over her shoulder every few moments. Once she was out of sight Denathus turned back to Samthrian, his appearance hardened once again. His brother smirked at Denathus, chuckling as he said, "You ready to go? Or should I give you five more minutes?"

Denathus glared at his brother before starting to walk northeast, "Bitch."

Samthrian's smile broadened as he walked in his brother's footsteps, "Jerk."


	4. Living beyond your years

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little background on Castiel, nothing you need additional information about. Enjoy, for this is the last chapter before my men meet.
> 
> Oh, and to answer the question that you didn't ask, the chapter titles are from the song 'Icarus' by Bastille.

The light was fading fast, Castiel's pen moving faster and faster over the paper as he tried to finish as much as he possibly could in the last of the daylight. The piece that Castiel was working on was one widely known through out all of Greece, a story that some believed to be truth, others passing it off as the fiction that is was called. The works of Homer were wanted by nearly every person of high status, his tale The Iliad was the most popular of them all. Castiel had been working night and day for weeks, taking care to make sure that he made exact replicas for each of his father's customers. Charlleus had been able to keep up with the demands until as of late. Once people saw the talent of the scribe, they all had to have their hands on a copy of a famous work; be it The Iliad or The Odyssey, everyone had to have one. Castiel was the only son who was able to dedicate his time to his father's work, and the only one interested in it. The others had more important matters to attend too or something else that they had to discuss. So Castiel was left penning manuscript after manuscript, his hands never getting a moment away from the pen that seemed to mold to his fingers.

Castiel would have continued working late into the night had it not been for the warm hand on his shoulder and familiar presence behind him. The light from the sun had gone completely, only a flickering candle bringing illumination to the works before him. Castiel could not recall when the candle had replaced the sun but it must have been hours ago as the candle was soon nearing its death.

Castiel placed the pen on the desk, his fingers aching from gripping the object for too long. His hands ran over his face, trying to rub away the sleep that so persistently tried to take over his mind. He could feel the presence of his mother behind him, the warmth that she radiated not only from her body but also from her heart. She wrapped her arms around her sons shoulders, placing a kiss to the back of his head before scolding, "You should not work so long my son. You are bound to die sitting at this desk if you continue as such."

Castiel leaned his head back, resting it on his mother's chest, eyes closing in the peace that surrounded her, "I cannot stop now. I am almost finished."

He could feel as well as hear his mother's laughter, her hands guiding his face up and towards hers. Opening his eyes Castiel took in the sight of his mother, her auburn eyes as warm as Hestia's hearth, her hair brighter than flame that burned within. Anael gazed at the bags beneath her son's eyes, the wrinkles that no twenty-year-old man should have. He was beyond his years, the burden from his father bearing heavily on his shoulders. One that none of his brothers tried to help lift.

Running a thumb up and down his cheek Anael spoke, "Look at you. You are withering away. All this work has you going to an early grave."

Castiel sighed, he had been a part of this conversation numerous times, each time his mother's argument became stronger and stronger. Castiel knew that he was, in a sense, suffering. But it was his duty as a son to help his father, to take the job assigned to him and complete it without fault. Castiel removed his mother's hands from his face as he turned towards her, holding them in his as he gazed at soft smooth skin, "Mother, we have discussed this. Father is over burdened with his work and I am helping with the load. Once his burden is lifted, I shall stop helping to carry it."

Anael looked to their joined hands, the thought that her little boy was gone, replaced by this man wise beyond his years haunting her, "I worry for you Castiel. I fear that this burden shall never lift and you will suffer for it." She brought her gaze up to her son's eyes, pure sapphires of the clearest blue, "You never leave this house, and when you do, it is to sit in a seat within the Assembly. You have only two things in your life, work and law. You must enter the world beyond that. I have never seen you speak to a person outside of this family and never another woman. I fear that the years shall pass you by and time will cast you as another man alone for the rest of his life."

Castiel met his mother's gaze, the worry there striking a chord in his heart. It pained him to see his mother so torn apart and so with reluctance his said, "Very well mother, this shall be my last manuscript. After it is completed I shall put my pen down and never pick it up again."

The smile that broke across his mother's face was worth every cent the gods had. With that smile continuing, Anael pulled her son to his feet exclaiming, "You must be starving Castiel, you haven't eaten since this morning. Come, let's get you something to eat."

Castiel followed his mother into the kitchen, watching as she brought him a loaf of bread, a bowl of olive oil and a chuck of goat cheese. She watched with unrestrained joy as she gazed upon her son eating, glad that he was finally going to emerge from his dark cave and enter the world once again.

This was not the first time it had happened, the previous occurrence far more severe. Castiel had always been a shy boy; it was hard for him to speak to anyone other than his siblings. Even with them it was a battle, the only one seeming to break through the barrier that Castiel put up was Gabriel. The two of them became fast friends, nearly inseparable. They could be seen together running up and down the streets, their laughter trailing after them along with several of the town bullies seeking revenge for the pranks that Gabriel convinced Castiel to perform.

It was hard when Gabriel had to go to school and Castiel was left behind. The boy would crawl back into his shell whenever his older sibling was gone, becoming as mute as the stone that lined the streets. It was only when Gabriel would return that Castiel would speak again, his brother telling him tales and stories from his lessons and the events during the day.

When Castiel started school two years later he kept his head down and his mouth shut, never answering his teachers when they spoke to him, never reading a passage out loud. He was a shadow in the back of the classroom and was presently ignored by the rest of the students. Gabriel caught on to this rather early on, sensing his brother's discomfort in the situation that he was placed in. With that thought in mind Gabriel set forth with grim determination to make Castiel feel like he was in a place that he belonged, knowing that his older brother was right there with him.

The pranks started as simple little things, hardly noticeable by anyone else, but Castiel knew that Gabriel was behind them. First it was a sharp piece of reed on the top of the professor's seat, then it was a piece of string tied across the doorway so that the professor would trip while entering the classroom. These pranks kept escalating until one day the professor entered the classroom in a cloud of fury, his robes a bright shade of pink. That was the first time that Castiel laughed and the last time that he let the wall up.

The boy became quite popular after that, a strange attractive quality about him making everyone else drawn to him. Soon every student knew his name, all greeting him as he passed by in the hallways. He made friends but never enemies. Some came to resent him for his brilliant mind, but none could ever hold it against him long.

It was one day when Castiel was sixteen years old and out at the market with his sisters that he met Meg, a girl as attractive as an apple to a starving man. Castiel lost his heart the moment that he set eyes on her; an effect that was purely one sided. Meg toyed with Castiel's heart, the boy not even learning her real name. Each time he asked she would just smile, leaning in, as she would whisper, "All in good time angel."

Castiel followed her around like a dog and his master, begging for the bone that was held just out of reach. A year passed, Castiel's love and desire for the girl growing with each passing hour. His family did not approve of the girl, Gabriel pulling his brother aside many a time to tell him that she was no good. Castiel would ignore their pleas, assured that he knew the truth, that he wasn't blinded by his own love.

The harsh reality came to him merely months later, when he arrived at Meg's house and found her in the arms of another man. He stood gapping at the sight before him, the man simply turning to him and yelling at him to 'shut the sodding door!' Castiel went home and for a year locked himself away in his mind, refusing to let anyone in, anyone close. It took everything the family had to bring the Castiel they all loved back to them, nearly breaking them apart in the process.

The actions of Castiel now were far to close to those he went through all those years ago, the fear that Anael was going to lose her son once again plaguing her every thought. So the relief that she felt when he agreed to put his pen down once again was that of a mother being told her son was not only alive, but also perfectly healthy when he had been on his deathbed not moments before.

Castiel caught his mother staring at him, a piece of bread on the way to his mouth. Pausing he smiled at her, his eyes sparkling in a way that she had not seen in a long time, "What is it?"

Anael smiled back, leaning against the table and placing her head in her hands, "Nothing Castiel. Everything is perfect."


	5. Acting out all their fears

Samthrian and Denathus walked for five days, from the moment the sun rose to the instant it set. The snow on the mountains was beginning to melt making the ground soft beneath their feet. The mud encased their sandals and the bottom of their cloaks, the red turning a deep brown, almost black. The leather bindings of their sandals wore into the tops of their feet, cutting into their flesh and bringing blood to the surface, but neither faltered. The brothers just kept walking.

On the fourth day the city of Athens came into their view, the center shining white in the sunlight. The buildings were centered around a hill; on the top were the beginnings of a temple that would awe all who looked upon it. The builders boasted that it would be over two hundred feet long and one hundred wide. It was to be a tribute to the goddess Athena, the greatest temple ever built, rivaling even the temple of Zeus at Olympia.

This sight guided the men to their destination, a proverbial lighthouse in the midst of a troubled sea. It took a day to reach the outskirts of the city after traveling through famer's fields and groves. Many eyes turned to look at the two men as they passed by, neither Spartan seeming to notice the attention. The two men captured more eyes as they entered the heart of the city; it's grandeur growing the closer they got to the center.

Samthrian knew not where first to look, his attention taken by nearly everything in his sight. There were statues and carvings, flashes of colored mosaics and magnificent paintings. Every object was decorated with splendor and care, crafted with the finest quality. While Samthrian was enthralled by what he saw around him, Denathus was focused on the task ahead. He and Samthrian had come to the city with nothing but the cloaks on their backs and the swords at their sides; they would have to find shelter and food for the night. Denathus thought that if they could not find anything in the city they could surely find shelter in a farm on the outskirts.

The two men found themselves wandering into a market, goods being traded and bought all around them. Few people paid attention to the two foreigners, their focus on their merchandise and prices. Those who did notice the men whispered at pointed, precious few had ever seen a Spartan, let alone two such as these.

It just so happened that Castiel was accompanying his mother and sister to the market that day, having finished the manuscript earlier that morning. Hester was the one who suggested the trip, saying that it was time they went to the market for themselves, not sending a slave to do so for them. Castiel had his mother's arm in his, following after his sisters as they gossiped among themselves. He paid no attention to them until Rachel's voice cut through his train of thought, "Sisters look! Now there are two men if I ever saw any."

Castiel followed his sister's gaze, all three gaping at the two forms making their way through the crowds. The two men were taller than the average Athenian man, only few coming near their height. One was brunette and taller than the trees that grew outside the city. The second had lighter brown hair, verging on the edge of blonde. He was shorter than the other, but still tall in the eyes of man. He walked before the taller, each stride full of purpose and confidence. He placed himself in such a way as to protect the man behind him, a seemingly unconscious trait that the man did not know he was performing. The two made their way through the market, the shorter focused on only the path, the taller on the sights around him.

Castiel found himself watching them, not realizing that he was staring until Naomi spoke to him, smirking, "They are quite delicious aren't they?"

The three girls laughed at Castiel's blush, Anael shaking her head at the antics of her offspring. Rachel turned to Hester, grinning, "The tall one, I would give anything to have him just for a night."

The two girls laughed, Naomi scoffing, "Please sisters. The shorter one has the making of a perfect lover. Isn't that right Castiel?"

Castiel's blush deepened as his sister's laugh grew. Anael dropped her son's arm, turning to her daughters, "Girls, that is enough! Is that any way for a woman to behave?" The three girls stilled, their heads hanging in shame. Anael smiled, her voice softening as she smirked, "You should always let your mother have first pick."

It was in this moment of laughter that the two men reached the family, appearing behind Castiel. The shorter of the two cleared his throat, startling Castiel and causing him to jump, spinning around to face the source of his surprise. The man was looking over Castiel at Anael, his gaze focused on the older woman, "Excuse me ma'am, I was wondering if you knew of any place we could stay the night. We have just arrived and have no lodgings or money to speak of. Is there any place we could go?"

Castiel watched as the man spoke, his eyes focused on the bob of his Adam's apple. The man took that moment to look down at Castiel, his eyes the green of grass after the first spring rain, lush and full of life. He couldn't tear his gaze away, enthralled by the man before him. It was not he that broke eye contact first, but the other man, lifting his eyes to gaze at Anael as she replied, "Why don't you come and stay with us? We have plenty of room for the two of you. I am sure that you would find no greater offer from anyone else."

The man bowed his head, "Thank you, your generosity is beyond words."

Anael smiled, taking the man's arm in hers, "Nonsense, it is what any person should do. Now, if you would follow me, I shall show you where you will be staying."

Anael led the two men out of the market place and towards their home, Castiel and his sisters following behind. Castiel ignored the giggling of his sisters and the friendly conversation passing between his mother and the two strangers. His focus was solely on the swing of the other mans hips and the swirl of his cloak. His eyes betrayed his mind, Castiel wanting nothing other than to force his vision away and look at anything else, but it stubbornly remained on the man before him.

They arrived at the house, the taller man remarking on the majesty of the building. Anael brushed it off, saying that it was nothing compared to homes of those in the higher class. The brunette would hear none of it though, stating he had never been in a place lovelier.

Anael brought the two men to the center room where Gabriel, Lucifer and Michael were found. Lucifer and Michael were both bent over a parchment on the table, discussing in hushed tones. Gabriel was once again lying on a couch, this time trying to catch grapes in his mouth after tossing them into the air. Anael cleared her throat, the three men looking up to where the noise came from. Unfortunately this meant that Gabriel forgot about the grape he had just flicked into the air, the fruit returning to hit him square in the eye, "Sweet Zeus on a pita!"

The taller man laughed, the shorter turning to scowl at him. Gabriel rubbed his eye, taking in the two strangers before him, "Hey mom, who's the Minotaur?"

Anael shot her son a glare before introducing the two men, "This is Denathus and his brother Samthrian. They travelled all the way from Sparta and are looking for a place to stay." She then turned to Samthrian and Denathus, "These are my children. Michael is the eldest, Lucifer the second. The man with the grape in his eye is Gabriel, he is the third. Naomi is the fourth, Castiel the fifth. Rachel follows him, and Hester is the last."

Samthrian and Denathus nodded at each as they were introduced, kissing the girls hands in turn. There was much giggling and blushing, Gabriel mimicking the girls behind their backs. Samthrian saw this, trying to contain his laughter as Gabriel twirled his hair around his finger and batted his eyelashes at an invisible Denathus. Michael and Lucifer ignored the antics of their brother, use to his actions after years of experiencing it while Castiel could hardly hold back the chuckle dancing on his lips.

When Denathus turned to see what his brother was trying to ignore, Gabriel ceasing his actions immediately. Denathus raised an eyebrow, silently questioning what was happening. Samthrian shook his head, fighting the urge to smile. Denathus turned away from Gabriel once again, the man resuming his mockery. This time Samthrian snorted, causing Castiel to break out into laughter.

Denathus' turned to look at the man, the Athenians face broken with a beautiful smile, eyes sparkling with joy. Denathus watched him laugh, his lips turning up at the sight before him. His laughter was contagious as Denathus started to laugh too, a deep chuckle that caused Castiel to laugh all the more. Samthrian could never resist laughing with his brother, so his laughter increased, causing Gabriel to laugh at the giant. The laughter caught on until every person in the room was apart of the joy, save for Lucifer and Michael, who watched from the sidelines, the joke passing them by.

The laughter slowly died down since not one person really knew why they were laughing, they just were. Anael wiped a tear from her eye, taking a calming breath before ushering the Spartans off to their rooms.

The family dissipated after that, the girls heading to their rooms as Michael and Lucifer focused on whatever they were studying with rapture. Gabriel swung and arm over Castiel's shoulder, leaning his weight against him as they watched the two men walk down the hallway with their mother. Gabriel let out a low whistle, shaking his head slightly, "Check out those asses. I bet even Adonis himself didn't have one as perky as that." Castiel effectively ignored his brother, keeping his reply to himself, "I wonder what gigantor would do if I just walked up and grabbed a handful."

Castiel scoffed in disgust, throwing his brother's arm off his shoulder. He headed down the hallway, ignoring Gabriel's cry after him, "Don't worry Cassie! I'll let you have brushy top to yourself!"


	6. You feel it in your chest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to say this right now. Since I am trying to remain as historically accurate as I can with this story, I am asking for a bit of leniency in terms of homosexuality and Spartans. Homosexuality was a very common occurrence in Greece at that time and was encouraged between soldiers to strength their bond to each other and give them more passion as they fought. These relationships would mostly be between a commanding officer and his pupil, teaching the boy the ways of war and love. This was the most common form of homosexuality in Sparta. In Athens, it was also common for an older man to seek the company of a younger boy, usually in his young teens. This act was given the term Pederasty and was socially acceptable, almost mandatory; a type of passage way into manhood. In both cultures though, the relationships hardly ever lasted, both men (more often than not) going on to marry and start their own families.
> 
> And I am going to make this note even longer by saying that men and women in Athens never ate together. What Castiel and his family are doing is purely my imagination and fictional.

That night Denathus and Samthrian joined the family for dinner, walking in to the center room to see the family lounging on couches and cushions. The men were on the couches, the women seated on the floor and leaning against the table. Samthrian stood shyly at the edge of the circle that the couches formed, Denathus heading straight in and sitting next to Rachel on the floor. Silence filled the room as he did so, every one staring at him in shock. Denathus did not notice, shifting to look at the girl that he sat beside. Finally seeing the looks on the family's faces he asked, "Is something wrong?"

Lucifer spoke first, his tone devoid of emotion, simply stating a fact, "Men do not sit on the floor."

Denathus turned to the man, his expression sharp, "And the women do?"

Lucifer met the Spartan's eye, the hatred burning just as strongly between both men. Michael quickly spoke, trying to defuse the tension between Denathus and his brother, "If you could Denathus, I am sure that Castiel would not mind sharing a couch with you."

Denathus stood, his gaze never leaving Lucifer. Castiel shifted from his spot, moving as far down the couch as he could without actually falling off. Denathus took the other end of the couch, his cloak covering half of the piece of furniture. Gabriel shuffled over on his couch too, patting the spot beside him as he spoke to Samthrian, "You can settle that beautiful backside over here."

Samthrian flushed, moving to sit beside the smaller man, trying to avoid touching him. Once he was seated Gabriel leaned up against him, using his body as a backrest, "Oh, you are as firm as you look."

The girls smiled at Gabriel as Michael turned to him, "Gabriel. Please."

Gabriel just waved his brother off, thoroughly enjoying his seat against Samthrian. Samthrian found that it wasn't as unpleasant as he expected it to be, Gabriel's presence a comforting warmth against his side. The man leaning against him turned, winking at Samthrian before turning his attention to the slaves entering the room. They carried plates of food, the scent wafting towards them in mouth-watering waves. There was a platter of cut vegetables and fresh fruit, all arranged in the most visually pleasing way. A rack of lamb was put down next, the meat spiced with various herbs and sauces. There was a plate of warm flat bread and a bowl of rice, each giving off their own unique fragrance. Bowls of sauces were late additions to the meal, a last minute thought from the kitchen. A jug of water and one of wine was the final addition, the finishing touch to the bounty before them.

No one waited for permission to start, each person filling their plates before sitting back to eat. The room was filled with the sound of scraping plates and the pouring of liquid. Platters were shuffled and goblets passed until each plate was full and every cup ready to over flow. Anael settled back into her spot, back resting against the couch that Michael lounged on, plate delicately balanced on her knee, "So Denathus. What brings you and your brother to Athens?"

Denathus cleared his throat before speaking, "Samthrian had recently lost his betrothed. We came here to give him space and time to clear his head."

Anael gasped, her eyes sad, "Oh I am so sorry Samthrian. I did not know."

Samthrian brushed the comment off, reassuring Anael, "It is alright. There is no way that you could have known."

Gabriel pulled away from Samthrian, turning to face the man, "What was she like?"

Samthrian put his plate on the table before speaking; "She was more beautiful than the sunset on a summer's eve, more graceful than a sparrow's flight. She was my shining light that kept me coming home, the reason that I woke every morning. Her stature was that of a queen, her logic unquestionable. Her perfection was beyond imagining, a mortal worthy of being called a goddess. She was my light and my life, my everything." Samthrian's voice trailed off near the end of his speech, head ducking down so none would see his pain.

Rachel, who was sitting at his feet, put a comforting hand on his knee, giving it a gentle squeeze. Samthrian covered her hand with his, keeping her grip right where it was. Hester took that opportunity to turn back to Denathus, taking the attention away from Samthrian so not to cause him any more pain. "What is it that you do Denathus?"

Denathus shifted a bit on the couch, buying himself time before he answered, "Samthrian and I are soldiers for the Spartan army."

Lucifer scoffed, taking a sip of his drink, "Yes, but what is your occupation?"

Denathus was silent, his eyebrows furrowed for a moment, "I don't understand what you are asking."

Castiel looked over at Dean, his eyes wide, "You and Samthrian are soldiers at all times?"

Denathus took a sip from his wine glass before answering, "Yes, why is that so shocking?"

Gabriel huffed, "'Cause that isn't how things work around here bucko."

Denathus and Samthrian exchanged confused looks before Denathus asked, "You don't have soldiers here?"

Michael sighed and setting his goblet down before explaining, "Here in Athens we do no have a standing army as I assume you do in Sparta. Our men fight only when called upon by the Strategoi, a general elected by the people on an annual basis. During times of war the general calls the people to war and any able bodied man is to respond."

Denathus turned to Michael, his face coy, "So you don't even have generals to lead your army. No real skill to boast of."

Michael's face became hard, Lucifer bristling as he spoke to defend his brother, "Michael is one of the Strategoi that you so flippantly insult. He would do anything to defend this city, the greatest that Athens has ever seen. He would never let Athens fall while there was still breath in his body."

Denathus huffed, speaking into his drink as he raised it to his lips, "Don't make any promises you can't keep."

Lucifer's eyes flashed to Denathus, fire burning within them, "What did you say, Spartan?" The word was venom on his lips, becoming a curse that no respectable man should say.

Denathus growled, fist clenching around the neck of his goblet, teeth bared. Samthrian shifted unconsciously, getting ready to throw himself between his brother and Lucifer. For a moment the room was full of a tension that was so thick it could be cut out of the air and sold as a tangible item. It was broken when a frazzled man walked into the room, his hands running through his hair as he headed straight for the table. All eyes watched him as he took a goblet, filling it to the brim with wine and drinking it down instantly. As he filled it a second time he spoke, apologizing to those around him, "That last manuscript took me longer than I had planned. Lost track of time." The tussled man finally looked up, freezing when he saw Denathus and Samthrian, motioning at them with his cup, "Who are they?"

Anael stood, placing a hand on his shoulder as she said, "This is Denathus and his brother Samthrian. They are Spartan's and just arrived in the city today. I invited them to stay with us for a few days."

The man looked relieved, his hand clenching and unclenching around his glass, "Oh good." He walked over to the two men, holding his hand out to each, "My name is Charlleus, but people call me Chuck."

Denathus did not know what to make of the man; Charlleus keep looking around him, fidgeting with what ever was in his hands and drinking like he was dying of thirst. By the time that he sat on the edge of the table he had refilled his glass for a third time. Taking another sip from his glass Charlleus turned to Denathus, his eyes curious, "How old are you Denathus?"

Denathus shifted, something about the man's gaze causing him to feel unsettled, "I am twenty-five years old."

Charlleus nodded, tilting his head towards Samthrian, "And your brother?"

Denathus titled his brow, unsure as to why Charlleus could not just ask Samthrian himself, "He is twenty, soon to be twenty one."

Charlleus nodded again, "You married Denathus?"

Denathus put his elbows on his legs, aware of the eyes that remained on him, "No sir."

Charlleus swallowed, seeming to get his nerves about him before asking, "Promised to another?"

"Yes sir." Denathus saw Castiel tense out of the corner of his eye, filing the reaction away for later consideration.

Charlleus took longer to get his nerve about him this time, his hesitation longer before saying, "Man or woman?"

"Excuse me!?" Denathus' eyes were burning, Charlleus skittering away from the bigger man. Samthrian was at Denathus' side before he could register it, his arms holding him back.

Samthrian tightened his grip on Denathus' arms, hissing in his ear, "Dean, relax."

Those words snapped Denathus out of his rage, his hands relaxing around the hilt of his sword, an action that he could not remember performing. Denathus kept his gaze on Charlleus as Samthrian spoke, "Charlleus, Anael, I apologize for my brother's actions. I think it best that we retire for the night. Thank you for your hospitality and the meal." With that said and a firm grip on Denathus, Samthrian led them out of the room, the silence following them as they headed down the hallway.

Once they were in the room Samthrian finally let go of Denathus, the elder brushing him off with barely hidden fury, "That little fucker! How can he even think that?"

Samthrian put his hands against Denathus' chest; keeping his brother from heading out the door, "Clam down Dean. I am sure that it was a simple misunderstanding."

Denathus stopped, looking right at Samthrian as he nearly yelled, "Misunderstanding? The misunderstanding will be my hands around his neck!"

Samthrian put his hands on Denathus' shoulders, trying to catch his brothers eye, "Dean, you heard the stories, so have I. We knew that Athens was going to be different than Sparta. This just so happens to be one of the instances."

Denathus pointed to the door with wide eyes, his tone full of accusation, "But that Sammy? Fooling around with dudes is one thing, but promising yourself to them?! It's fucking creepy man!"

Samthrian caught his brother's eye again, speaking in soft tones to calm Denathus down, "Dean, calm down. Charlleus knows not to mention it again; your reaction took care of that. I'm sure everything will be fine tomorrow."

Denathus sighed, turning away from his brother and heading to the bed nearest to the door, "As long as one of those guys doesn't hit on me, I'll be fine."

Samthrian chuckled, following his brother's lead and getting ready to sleep. Unknown to either men Castiel was passing by their room during their argument, hearing every word either man said. The words bit sharp and hard into his heart, bile rising in his throat. Castiel did not know why these words affected him so; the remark was not against him after all. He put it off as concern for his brother, Gabriel not hiding his taste in men or women and he had flirted with the younger brother earlier that night. Castiel headed to his room, Denathus' words echoing in his head. Castiel decided to tell Gabriel about the conversation that he heard, vowing to save his brother the heartache of finding out from one of the Spartans. With that resolve Castiel fell into an uneasy sleep, the mocking laughter of Denathus echoing into the night.


	7. Your hands protect the flames

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Due to the correction of a reviewer (which is greatly appreciated, thanks again) I have changed some of the information of my story. Spartans (according to my new sources) did partake in homosexual pratices so I am changing my story to fit that new knowledge. I haven't gotten the chance to change the previous chapter yet, but it shall be done! I will be gone until next week Monday and by then everything should be fix and corrected. I was a tad busy this week (read-in GISHWHES) and couldn't get around to it.
> 
> There is a reference to the legend of the Minotaur. Basically, the minotaur was the son of King Minos of Crete's wife (long complicated story behind that) and lived in a labyrinth behind the palace. Every seven years he was given seven girls and seven boys as sacrifices. A young man named Theseus (he was an ass) volunteered to kill the minotaur and was deemed a hero after he did.

Castiel woke to the sound of cheering, the sun creeping in through his bedroom window. He rubbed his eyes wearily, trying to grind the remaining sleep from his mind. Climbing out of bed Castiel splashed water on his face before putting on a fresh chiton. He followed the sounds of the cheering, heading to the garden. There he found Michael, Lucifer and Gabriel standing with their backs turned to him, all watching something before them. Gabriel seemed to be intrigued by what was happening, his body shifting every few seconds, as if he wanted to join in whatever was occurring. Castiel drew closer, his curiosity peaked with Gabriel's shout, "Come on Samthrian, you can take him!"

Castiel looked over the shoulder of his brother, eyes widening at the sight before him. Denathus and Samthrian were rolling around in the grass, teeth bared in grim determination. Their cloaks had been disposed off, lying underneath one of the olive trees in the grove. The two men were only dressed in their leather undergarments, their bronzed skin shinning in the morning sun. Sweat covered their bodies, accenting the muscles that danced beneath their skin. Castiel watched as a drop of sweat rolled down Denathus back, stopping in the dip of his spine. Castiel licked his lips unknowingly; his eyes glued on Denathus' skin, the tense line of his shoulders and two small dimples at the base of his spine. The way his muscles moved and flexed had Castiel entranced; all else fading into the background while Denathus became more prominent.

He was jostled out of his trance when Gabriel bumped into him having jumped backwards to avoid a collision with Samthrian, whom Denathus had thrown off himself and was now watching with a close eye. Castiel moved to Gabriel's free side, getting a full view of what was happening before him. Samthrian picked himself off the ground, Gabriel barely containing a groan as he put his back to him, bent low to the ground to keep his center of gravity. The two brothers circled each other, getting closer and closer until they were an arm's length from each other. That was when Denathus attacked first, his arm's jutting out to grab Samthrian around his waist. Samthrian was unable to avoid the attack, his brother hitting him around his waist and taking his feet out from under him. Samthrian hit the ground with a huff, rolling to put his brother underneath him without a moment's hesitation.

Samthrian had an arm against Denathus' throat, the flat of it pressed into his wide pipe. He sat on his brother's chest, weight keeping his legs in place, "Pinned yah." Denathus took Sam's arm in his hands, wrenching it to the side and using that momentum to flip their positions. Samthrian knew what Denathus was doing so he pushed into the movement as well; causing the brother's to flip several times instead of just once. Samthrian managed to pin Denathus again, this time Denathus was on his front, arm bent behind him to the verge of breaking. His other hand tired to get leverage on anything, scrambling for purchase. Samthrian smirked, leaning over to say in his brother's ear, "Pinned yah again."

Samthrian climbed off brother with a sense of arrogance, "You must be getting old Denathus if I managed to trap you."

Denathus got up from the ground, brushing himself off as he said, "Just wanted to give the hosts a show Samthrian. If I beat you every time it just gets boring."

Samthrian shoved his brother lightly, smiling brightly. Denathus smiled back, throwing his arm around Samthrian's neck and putting him in a headlock. Samthrian laughed, pulling at Denathus' arm to get loose. Denathus tightened his grip, ruffling Samthrian's hair before letting him go. Gabriel watched the two interact before piping up, "Can you teach me that Adonis?"

Samthrian turned to the man, unsure as he answer, "Sure, why not?"

Denathus looked at Samthrian, wiggling his eyebrows at him mockingly before picking up his cloak, throwing it over his broad shoulders. He turned to walk into the house before Michael's voice stopped him, "Denathus, could Lucifer and I speak to you for a moment?"

Denathus looked at the house once before walking over to the two men, his mind calculating as he eyed the two men, "How can I help you?"

Michael exchanged a look with Lucifer before speaking, "I do not know if you are aware, but Athens is on the verge of war. There have been threats coming from the King Darius of Persia. If these threats play out to be true I need to be ready to fight the armies of Persia on any given battle front. There is one field that I cannot decide the best attack on. I was hoping that with your, talents, you could help me."

Denathus was hesitant, aware of Lucifer's eyes on him at all times, "It would be an honor to assist a general of Athens."

Castiel watched as Denathus walked into the house, following his two elder brothers. Unsure as to what he should do, Castiel remained in the garden, settling on a bench to watch Gabriel and Samthrian. Samthrian was standing behind Gabriel, one arm around his shoulder and the other against his neck. His body was pressed up against Gabriel, the shorter man pulled up against him tightly. Castiel could see the enjoyment on Gabriel's face; the shorter man exactly where he wanted to be. Samthrian shifted his weight, speaking directly into Gabriel's ear, "Alright, pretend that I am holding a knife against your throat."

Gabriel chuckled, cocky as he said, "So that isn't a knife you're pressing into my back?"

Samthrian flushed, clearing his throat before continuing, "So what you are going to do is knock the arm away that has the blade first. That way you don't end up with a slit throat when you try to perform the next move. Once the knife is away from your body take my arm in both of your hands, the harder the grip the better."

Gabriel looked up at Sam, his grin sly, "Oh you like hard do you?"

Samthrian ignored Gabriel, though his face flushed all the more, "Using your body weight you are able to throw anyone over your shoulder if done correctly. Plant your feet and lean back slightly, just enough to gain momentum as you swing forward. Using that motion, pull my arm down, pulling my body in a downward motion, the same as when you bend over. You should be able to pull me over every time."

Gabriel scoffed, rolling his eyes, "Should."

Samthrian huffed, "Just try okay?"

Gabriel nodded, "Fine."

Gabriel took a deep breath before swatting at Samthrian's hand, the appendage barely moving. Samthrian shook his head, "No, harder."

Gabriel turned his head, shooting Samthrian a glare, "I can't be any harder!"

Samthrian glared right back, "You aren't even trying. Come on, give it to me!"

Gabriel lashed out, his hand snapping Samthrian's away before locking on his arm. With the speed of a falcon Gabriel had Samthrian over his shoulder and on his back, his eye wide with surprise. Gabriel and Samthrian looked at each other for a moment, both just as shocked as the other. The silence was broken by Gabriel's laugh, slight hysteria creeping into it, "Did you see that Cassie? Did you? Ha! I flipped the Minotaur! Suck on that Theseus!"

Samthrian put his weight on his elbows, holding a hand out to Gabriel, "You going to help me up?"

"Sure thing iron hide," Gabriel grabbed Samthrian's hand, bracing himself to help the other man up. His smile fell from his face when he felt himself getting pulled down, shock taking over as he tumbled towards the earth. Castiel had to restrain his laugh at the sight of Gabriel, the surprise radiating off of him as he found himself covered by Samthrian, his hands pinned down by the other man.

Samthrian was smiling down at Gabriel, the sun shining behind his head. Gabriel blinked at the sight several times, the man above him truly more beautiful than the gods themselves. Samthrian didn't seem to notice Gabriel's enthrall as he beamed and said, "Are you ready for your next lesson?"

Gabriel nodded as he winked, "Any time professor. Maybe I could stay after class, get a few extra pointers in." Like always, Samthrian ignored the comment.

Samthrian continued to teach Gabriel, the hours drifting by like a feather on the wind. The sun had long since moved from the east to the west, settling in just the perfect position to blind Castiel through the tree branches. Castiel raised a hand to shield his eyes from the merciless onslaught to his retinas. The movement caught Samthrian's attention, the man currently lying on his chest as Gabriel kept a knee on his back, pinning him to the ground. "Would you like to try Castiel?"

Castiel looked from Samthrian to his brother, who was currently glaring at Castiel, shaking his head slightly. Castiel turned back to Samthrian, "No thank you. I am content with watching."

Samthrian smiled, replying in a teasing nature, "Aw come on Cas, it'll be fun!" With that he moved in a fashion that Castiel did not quite catch, what seemed to be a quick turn and rise. Gabriel was tossed from Samthrian's back, the smaller man letting out a dignified gasp of surprise as he tumbled to the ground.

Glaring up at Samthrian Gabriel whined, "You said that you wouldn't be able to get out of that."

Samthrian grinned down at the man, Gabriel's complaints not fazing him in the least, "Come now Gabriel, I wasn't going to teach you all of my tricks. Besides, I am three times the size of you."

Gabriel scrambled to get to his feet, all the time muttering to himself, "Not where it counts gigantor."

Castiel wasn't sure if Samthrian caught the comment but it didn't seem to matter as he had walked over to Castiel and hoisted him to his feet, all without exerting himself what so ever. Castiel nervously moved to where Gabriel had been moments before, his brother now lounging in the shade beneath a tree on the opposite side of the garden. Samthrian stood across from Castiel, several paces away to maintain an acceptable distance between them. Samthrian looked at Castiel, speaking slowly, "Alright, I'm going to try to attack you. Use the move that I just showed Gabriel to defend yourself okay?"

Castiel nodded, swallowing hard to calm his frayed nerves. Samthrian waited a moment before lunging at Castiel, his speed taking the former by surprise. Castiel let out a squeak as Samthrian hit him, both men falling to the ground in a heap. The garden was silent for a moment, Castiel too shocked to speak and Samthrian not sure if he had hurt Castiel. It was Gabriel's howling laughter that made both of them move once again. Samthrian looked down at Castiel, his eyes full of concern, "Are you alright?"

Castiel nodded mutely, his breath not quite catching up to him yet. Samthrian stood up, holding out his hand for Castiel too take. Castiel gripped the hand, the sensation of being pulled to his feet so easily foreign to him. Castiel wiped the dirt off his body as Gabriel laughed hysterically in the background, "You should have seen your face! By the gods, that was priceless!"

Samthrian chuckled, trying to keep his laughter in for Castiel's sake. Castiel looked down, fixing his chiton, a small smile creeping across his lips, "I think I should leave the fighting to my brothers. I am clearly not meant for it."

Samthrian gazed at Castiel, a hand reaching out to land on his shoulder, "Are you sure? Cause I can get Denathus to teach you. He's better than I am."

Gabriel stopped laughing long enough to say, "Yeah Cassie. You want Denathus to come out here and roll around in the dirt with you?"

The glare that Castiel sent Gabriel's way was hot enough to melt rock, Gabriel's laughter increasing tenfold, echoing through the hills around the city.


	8. From the wild winds around you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I'll be gone for a while, I thought I'd be nice and give you two chapters.
> 
> Another myth is referenced in this chapter. Talos is a giant bronze statue forged by Hephaestus to protect Europa (a Phoenician woman Zeus was lusting after). He was slain by the removal of a nail in his ankle, a preverbal cork keeping all of his vital fluids in his body.

Denathus followed Lucifer and Michael into the house, heading towards what Denathus presumed to be Michael's chambers. The room was simple, a bed in the corner and a large table across from it. On the table were countless number of parchments layering over top of each other as soon as another was added to their number. Michael pointed out the top one to Denathus, a map from what he could see, "Lucifer and I have been able to prepare and strategies a plan of defense and attack on any weakness that Athens presents. All except one." Michael shifted the map towards Denathus, giving the other man a better look. "An attack coming from the Aegean Sea is one that we are simply not prepared for."

Denathus took the map from Michael, centering it before him. The map showed the coast of Athens and the surrounding territories, the coastline full of tall cliffs and low gully's, hundreds of places that the Persians could land their boats and march on Athens. Denathus examined them map for several minutes, Lucifer and Michael's eyes on him the entire time. Denathus finally stood up straight, pointing a finger at the map, "There. That is where the Persians will land and march towards Athens."

Lucifer looked at the map, his voice disbelieving, "Marathon? Why would they land there?"

Denathus went back to the map, laying out each point as he explained, "The terrain to the north of Marathon is too mountainous to be able to safely navigate a large force through without commanding much attention. Darius would have to send a fraction of what he boasts if they are to make it through safely. Similarly, the Persians lack a powerful naval fleet; they would not be able to safely navigate through the winter storms. Marathon is the only location that a fleet of their size would be able to dock and unload an army and cavalry. It is also a direct line to Athens from Persia, the fastest route to victory."

Michael studied the map before him, his eyes remaining there as he asked, "What makes you believe that Persia would win?"

Denathus snorted a little, regaining his composure as he replied, "The armies of Athens have no chance against the cavalry of Persia. Your men are unskilled and untrained, they will have no clue how to hold against hundreds thundering towards them."

Lucifer turned to Dean, the ice crawling back into his voice, "Do you doubt the strength of Athens?"

Denathus returned Lucifer's tone, his eyes narrowing, "I do not doubt the strength or heart of your men, I doubt their skills. I trust that they would willingly stand and fight for their city, down to their dying breaths. And that is what they would be, their dying ones. Because if you send your men out to fight the Persians they will not come back alive."

Michael placed a hand on each of the men's chests, pushing them apart just to gain some space between the two opposing Titans. "Lucifer, that is enough. Denathus meant no offence, he was just expressing the facts."

Lucifer tore his eyes away from Denathus to walk out of the room, his anger following him like a fog. Michael sighed as he watched his brother leave, "He means well, his temper just gets the better of him sometimes. He has a very short fuse you might say. Try not to let it get to you."

Denathus turned back to the maps before him, changing the conversation as he asked, "Would you mind if I stayed and examined these maps for a while longer? The ones we have in Sparta are not as complete as those you have at your disposal."

Michael nodded, his hand sweeping out before him, "By all means. Help yourself."

Denathus bowed his head in thanks before Michael left the room, leaving Denathus to examine the maps to his heart's content. Hours passed as Denathus took in all the information that the parchments had to offer, each one revealing new knowledge and territories that he had only heard of but never seen. Denathus was lost in his own mind, collecting and memorizing each map until a voice pulled him out of the swirling depths, "Would you like to try Castiel?"

Denathus turned from the map that he was looking at, one that was outlaying the island of Crete, and moved to the single window within the room. The window gave him a full view of the garden and orchard, including Samthrian, Gabriel, and Castiel. Gabriel was on top of Samthrian, a position that Denathus knew was meant to make the one pinned believe that they stuck when a simple counter would have them free from their captors grasp. Castiel was still in the same place, his form seeming to mold into the marble that he sat on. He was still as a statue, his form as flawless and perfect as those that adorned the city streets.

Denathus blinked a few times, startled by his train of thought. Since when had he compared men to statues, flawless, let alone perfect? Shrugging the moment off he went back to the events in the garden. He looked up just in time to see Samthrian move from underneath Gabriel, the look of shock and surprise on Gabriel's face making a snort emit from Denathus. It turned into a full on laugh when Gabriel started to sulk.

His laughter died down when Samthrian moved to Castiel, taking the man in his hands and pulling him to his feet. A flare ignited within Denathus, an urge to go out and take Samthrian's hands off of Castiel. Denathus just opted to place his hands on the windows edge, fingers curling around the ledge. He watched as Samthrian stood before Castiel, the words barely making it to his ears, "Alright, I'm going to try to attack you. Use the move that I just showed Gabriel to defend yourself okay?" The nod that Castiel gave seemed timid, almost afraid. Looking at the two of them Denathus could see why. Samthrian was almost a full head taller than the other man, easily doubling him in weight and girth. To call Samthrian a mountain of a man would be an understatement. Seeing Castiel standing before him was a picture from a myth, a challenger come to stand before Talos himself. But even that bronze giant was brought to his knees.

Dean couldn't help but chuckle when he saw Samthrian lunge at Castiel, the look on the other man's face was one that Denathus would remember forever. The humor fading away fast thought when Denathus saw that Castiel was struggling to breathe for a moment. His hands tightened on the window ledge, his eyes going wide as he willed for Castiel to take that first gasp of air. Denathus didn't realize that he was holding his breath until he took his first inhale along with Castiel, the other man struggling to get to his feet. He was graceful, even after being thrown to the ground by Samthrian, his motions fluid and precise, not a fault to be seen. With a bit of training and time Denathus was sure that he could make a fighter out of Castiel. It wouldn't be hard, the potential was all there it was just tapping into it that could pose a problem.

Denathus was about to turn and leave the room when he heard the following, "Are you sure? Cause I can get Denathus to teach you. He's better than I am." Denathus paused, his back to the window, but his attention fully on the conversation out side.

"Yeah Cassie. You want Denathus to come out here and roll around in the dirt with you?" Denathus could tell that Gabriel was teasing Castiel, a small flutter of hope rising into Denathus chest. The reaction caught Denathus off guard, his mood becoming foul as he stormed out of the room towards his own. Shutting the door behind him Denathus threw his cloak off, the fabric becoming to heavy and constricting as he panted heavily. He paced the room, one hand carding through his hair as his mind spun, thoughts running away from him as he tried to grab hold of just one.

Each thought, each moment was filled with startling blues eyes and short black hair, a shy smile and a laugh that could make the gods weep. Every time that Dean thought back to Jo, even to some of the lovers that he had over the years, each and every one of them would morph back into the Athenian god that he had met just a day ago.

With a groan Denathus closed his eyes, his mind refusing to cease it's perilous on slaughter of image after image. It started small after first, the lithe muscles working up and down Castiel's arms, the light stubble that graced his cheeks. He wondered if that muscles covered his who body, if he was carved in the same graceful way as the statue he had compared him too not hours ago. Whether he could trace each one out against his porcelain skin, standing out against the creamy white of his flesh, barely kissed by the sun. Denathus wondered if that flesh was sensitive, if goose bumps would rise with every fleeting touch, or if every sensation would be a tenfold of what he felt. Would he flush with arousal, his eyes blacken like a starless night? Would his skin taste like the summer air or like the wind off the winter sea? Would his skin be as soft as a woman's or harder with years of work? Would he cry out Denathus' name or would he remain silent, not but labored breaths escaping him? What sounds would he make as Denathus entered him, cock hard with desire, his lips whispering Castiel's name-

Denathus snapped his eyes open, sitting up straight in his bed, immediately coming out of his trance. He looked around the room desperately wanting to make sure that he was alone. With a relieved sigh he lay back down on the bed, his nerves coming down slowly from their excited state in tandem with his heart. Denathus knew in that moment that he completely and utterly screwed.


	9. Standing on the cliff face

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GOD I MISS PORNCOUVER. *clears throat* Um, anyway… I apologize for the lateness of this chapter, and I can't promise when the next one will pop up either. I am heading to school this weekend and I have no idea when I'll have any free time. So, enjoy I guess.

Denathus stirred at the knock on his door, opening one eye and lifting his head, "Yes?"

Naomi opened the door, taking one step into the room and keeping her hand on the door as she said, "Dinner will be served in a few minutes if you wish to join us."

Denathus sat up on his elbows, one hand running over his eyes, "I'll be there shortly." Naomi nodded and left the room, shutting the door behind her. Denathus waited until he could no longer hear her footsteps before he sat up. He raised his arms above his head, stretching to ease the small ach that was settling in his torso. He made a mental note to go running later in the evening before rising from the bed, donning his cloak and heading to the center room.

The arrangement was the same as the previous night, then men on the couches and the women on the floor. This time though Samthrian was already at Gabriel's side, a smile on his face and a laugh on his lips as Gabriel dramatically re-enacted the events of the day to everyone in the room. There was a burst of laughter as Dean approached, Gabriel had just shown the room the look on Castiel's face when Samthrian hit him, Castiel blushing and protesting against Gabriel's version of the story.

Denathus smiled, watching as the blush creep from Castiel's cheek and moved to his ears and neck, disappearing under the folds of his chiton. Denathus' eyes traveled down, taking in the sight of the other man for the first time. His form was not as slight as he had previously thought, he wasn't muscular like Samthrian or Denathus, but he had a build that any athlete would be envious of. He had the pale skin of the barbarians to the north, the light tone making the deep brown on his hair darker than it really was. His mouth was unlike any other Denathus had seen, his lush lips were pink. Not pale red or flesh toned, but the pink of flowers blooming in the noonday sun, their heads poking out in the promise of life. Castiel's lips were dry, his tongue poking out to run over them, Denathus copying him unconsciously.

Denathus would have sworn on his mother's life that Castiel was the most gorgeous thing on the planet, until his eyes turned to him. There was no way to describe the indescribable. They were the sun sparkling on the summer sea. They were the sky on a clear fall day. They were the promise of hope, a whisper of fun. They were life and they were love. They said everything and yet said nothing. They kept secrets yet spoke his mind; they screamed his emotion and protected his mind. They pulled you in and tore you apart; there was no weakness that they couldn't find. And yet Denathus could not look away.

"Would you care to sit?" Castiel was looking up at Denathus, a small smile on his face as he spoke to the taller man.

Denathus smiled back, taking the spot that Castiel spoke of, "Thank you." He noticed that Castiel sat closer than the night before, his leg brushing against Denathus' briefly before the contact was gone. Looking up Denathus could see both Samthrian and Gabriel smirking, the two exchanging a look before Samthrian caught Denathus' eye. Samthrian raised an eyebrow at Denathus, the glare that he got making him smile all the more.

Charlleus did not come stumbling into this meal; the man remained in his room after the confrontation the night before. Anael apologized for the mistake one more time, Denathus saying that it was a simple misunderstanding and that it was forgotten. Polite conversation was passed around until the food was served, the room falling silent in the feasts presence. It was several minutes later when the silence was broken when Lucifer placed his plate on the table and stated, "Michael and I have been discussing and have come to the decision that in the light of the on coming war, our family must prepare ourselves for the battles that are bound to come." His eyes lifted, moving between Denathus and Samthrian, "If the Spartans would be so gracious, we would wish for you to train us."

A silence covered the room, each person taking a moment to take in the information that Lucifer just passed along. The women exchanged glances while Gabriel blinked a few times before snorting, "You can't be serious Lucy."

Lucifer turned to his brother, his voice calm as he replied, "As the grave."

Gabriel faced his brother, placing his cup on the table before speaking, "Do you realize what this will entail? I personally have no problem with it, I'm ready to get hot and heavy over here. But you? You're going to be spending hours with someone who is going to be telling you that you can't do something. How you going to take that?"

Lucifer was emotionless as he replied, "If that is what it will take to make sure that this family remains safe, so be it."

Gabriel leaned back into the couch, shrugging off the conversation with a simple, "It's your funeral."

Michael brought the attention back to the Spartans when he inquired, "This will be okay with the two of you? It is your permission that we need after all."

Samthrian and Denathus made eye contact, the conversation passing silently between the two of them. No words needed to be spoken, their opinions as clear to each other as the red on their backs. Denathus turned back to Michael, "It would be our pleasure."

Denathus was certain that he had never seen Michael smile before that moment; the grin breaking across his face was rare to be sure. It was raw emotion, pure and untainted joy at the promise of the safety of his family. It made Denathus wonder what it was like to know that your family was weak, that there was a vulnerability in which you could lose someone at any given time. He could not imagine being unable to defend himself, to protect those around him to his dying breath. What was it like to be weak?

Lucifer's low rumble slowly pulled him from the haze of his thoughts, the room coming back into focus as the blonde spoke, "Training should start as soon as possible, tomorrow ideally. Samthrian, if you would not mind training Gabriel and myself I believe that Denathus would be best handling the training of Castiel and Michael. We have weapons and armor here, but not much to work with. As you have pointed out before Denathus, we are not among the likes of you."

Denathus let the comment pass, not wanting to let the other man under his skin so easily, "I will go through what you have in the morning and determine what we can do with it. The training will be hard, mark my words. I will not be an easy teacher and I expect that if you agree to this arrangement that you will do as I say, no questions asked. I will be doing you no favors, Samthrian neither. Once you begin training, there will be no turning back. A trek through Hades will be easier." Denathus paused, getting to his feet before finishing, "I will give you a day to think about it. Excuse me."

With the being said Denathus left the room, his cloak flourishing behind him. The movement put a final seal on Denathus' offer, the words echoing back in Castiel's mind,  _a trek through Hades will be easier._  His eyes remained on the hallway that Denathus disappeared down when Samthrian spoke, "The training that Denathus and I do will not be what you will be put through. We have been bred to be soldiers since the moment that the sun rose on our seventh birthday; we are made for what we do. Nonetheless, it will be the hardest work that you have ever done in your lives. Expect nothing less."

Gabriel smirked, picking a piece of bread off Castiel's plate before saying, "After today, I think I can take anything."

Samthrian turned to the man, speaking softly as he said, "Gabriel, what we did today was a walk in the garden compared to what we are going to do."

Castiel would have bet his right hand that he could have fit a whole pomegranate in Gabriel's mouth his jaw had dropped so low.


	10. Highest foe you'll ever grace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm alive! Celebrate and be merry! I'm just kidding, you don't have to do that. But I am in school now, sitting in my dorm room with words of wisdom on my wall, 'Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cake hole'. This chapter is unedited, so please be nice to me.
> 
> Oh, there's no important information to be given this chapter. And incase you don't get it, Lucifer is 'planking' in this chapter. Just FYI.

**One Week Later**

The morning was cool, the mist still damp on the grass as the sun barely shone over the mountain peaks. Each droplet sparkled in the morning sun, becoming diamonds that frosted each lush surface. It was a magical sight, but Castiel took no time to notice it. His attention was fully taken by the man beside him. Denathus ran next to Castiel, the Athenian struggling to match him stride for stride. They had been running for what Castiel thought was hours, his legs burning with each step, chest heaving with every labored breath. There was a sharp pain in his side that simply refused to leave and a persistent throb in his ankle from where he miss stepped miles back. But still Castiel pushed himself, knowing that unless he died or passed out Denathus would not let him stop. So Castiel pushed through the pain, his mouth a taunt line as he kept his cries within.

The appearance of his house had Castiel's heart soaring, a newfound vigor entering his strides. Once they entered the garden Castiel collapsed, his legs finally giving out under him. Castiel lay face down on the ground for a moment before he felt Denathus' hands grasp him under his arms, pulling him easily to his feet. If Castiel were not so tired he would have noticed how his heart quickened, a fire stirring in his core at the rough handling. Instead Castiel let himself be manhandled back to his feet, Denathus forcing him to walk. His voice was stern as he spoke, "You have to keep moving Castiel."

Castiel groaned, most of his body weight leaned against Denathus as he was forced to walk around the garden. Castiel could not believe that Denathus could possibly still be on his feet. He and Michael had been going on their run earlier in the mornings due to Michael's schedule and the growing tension between Greece and Persia. Castiel came to the conclusion that Samthrian and Denathus were creations of Hephaestus, machines that never tired or grew weak. There was the only explanation that could explain their unnatural stamina.

After circling the garden several times Denathus led Castiel to the bench in the orchard, giving him instructions to stretch out the muscles in his legs. Castiel did as he was told, wanting to ask the questions that were on the tip of his tongue but knowing that Denathus would refuse to answer a single one. This was another thing that Castiel would have to get use to. Not only was the training that he and his brothers were experiencing as grueling ordeal, but the form of the training was a completely new concept to them.

Denathus had stated that this was not the same training that he and Samthrian had experienced, making Castiel all the more glad that he had not been raised in Sparta. Denathus and Samthrian had the Athenians up before the sunrise, starting the day with a grueling ten mile run. From there the Spartans would train them with either the sword or spear, alternating from day to day. The only reason that they would stop to have lunch was because by the third day Gabriel's complaining had come to a pinnacle when he passed out during a simple weight lifting exercise. After a small meal, the Spartans only willing to give them that, the Athenians were forced to go through battle strategies and maps. They would be tested through out the day; questions yelled at them while sparing, maps taken away and the layouts demanded to be known. If an answer was not correct or given fast enough there would be a punishment, the severity of them escalating as the days went by. The day before Castiel happened to see Lucifer being punished. He was in the center of the garden, his body as straight as a board as he put all his weight on his elbows. He had several rocks piled on his back, a grimace on his face as he fought against the strain. Samthrian was barking at him, Lucifer answering with barely contained rage. With each snarky answer or smart remark Samthrian added another stone, the scowl in Lucifer's face darkening with the added weight. The weight was finally removed when Lucifer submitted, his answers short, quick, and respectful.

The nights were just as hard. The Athenians had their beds taken away from them, forced to sleep on the floor of their rooms with nothing but a blanket for warmth and a mat beneath them. It had taken four days for Castiel to get use to waking up with a pain in his neck and a stiff back. None of them complained though, not even Gabriel. They did not know what they were signing up for exactly, but they had been warned. Now they had to sleep in the beds they had made, even if more figuratively than literally.

Denathus stole Castiel's attention when he said sharply, "No Castiel, you have to actually stretch the muscle if you wish to achieve anything."

Denathus had been avoiding direct contact with Castiel as much as he could the last week, trying to keep their relationship as professional as possible. He avoiding physical touch, resorting to commanding and directing Castiel around rather than demonstrating himself. It made certain situations more difficult, but Denathus thought that if he kept away from Castiel then his attraction would slowly ebb away also. Denathus had been watching Castiel stretch, grimacing at the poor technique of the other man. Eventually Denathus could not stand it anymore, moving to Castiel's side and putting his hands on the other man's back without a second thought. "If you want to keep your muscles attached to your body you need to keep them stretched so the next time you use them they do not seize up and pull away from your bones." Denathus put pressure on Castiel's back, making the other man bend down further, "You need to keep moving until you can feel the pull and then stop." Denathus was slowly moving closer towards Castiel, his frame outlining the back of Castiel, a soft pressure against his own form. "Hold that position for half a minute before moving back." Denathus' hand crept down Castiel's spine, settling in the small of his back and remaining there. Castiel swallowed, trying to focus on Denathus' words and not the warmth that was spreading through his body.

Denathus watched as Castiel nearly bent in half, his eyes dilating as a single thought passed through his mind,  _Wow he's bendy_. Denathus' eyes widened as he took a step back, pulling his hand away from Castiel as if he hand just touched a burning coal. Castiel did not seem to notice Denathus' movement though as he made no acknowledgment of Denathus' action. What Denathus did not know was that Castiel was fighting the urge to get that hand back, for the soft press of Denathus against his back to return. Pushing the feeling down Castiel put all his focus into stretching, steeling his mind against all manner of fantasies that threatened his sanity.

Across the garden and out of view, Gabriel and Samthrian found themselves in a very similar predicament. Lucifer was not with them at that moment, he had been need at a trial that day, a messenger coming to the house in the morning with news of a murder trial that was being held on the Hill of Ares. He had left with Samthrian's reminder that they would still train after he returned ringing in his ears. This was the main reason that Samthrian found himself towering over Gabriel, the smaller man lying on his back and smirking up at Samthrian. The Spartan had Gabriel's leg in his hands, pushing it towards his head as he stated, "You can do this by yourself you know."

Gabriel was coy as he replied, "Now where's the fun in that Sammy?"

Samthrian's eyes locked with Gabriel's, his gaze darkening as he said, "It's Samthrian."

Gabriel just smiled back, "What ever you say Sammy."

Samthrian held Gabriel's gaze as he gave a slight push to Gabriel's leg, causing the other man to cry out, "Ow! What was that for?"

Samthrian let Gabriel's leg drop as he replied coolly, "For calling me Sammy."

Gabriel's eyes narrowed, a playful smile crossing his face as he launched himself at Samthrian, hitting the man with a huff of air and knocking him to the ground. Gabriel landed on Samthrian's chest, his hands bracing himself on the wide expanse of muscle beneath them. His breath caught in his chest as he looked down at the man beneath him, his mind slowing down to a dead stop. Before he knew what he was doing, Gabriel was leaning down, his face mere centimeters away from Samthrian's. His eyes locked with Samthrian's before flashing towards his lips. They rose again, asking for Samthrian's permission to do what he had been longing to do since the moment that he laid eyes on him.

It was not Gabriel who moved first though, but Samthrian, giving Gabriel all the permission that he needed by arching up, connecting his mouth with Gabriel's. Gabriel's body froze for a moment, the shock coursing through his body before being chased away by the single fact that Samthrian was kissing him. Gabriel moaned, shifting to straddle Samthrian's waist. Raising his hands Samthrian ran them through Gabriel's hair, taking a handful and pulling slightly, directing Gabriel as he deepened the kiss. Running his tongue over Samthrian's lips Gabriel licked his way into his mouth, enjoying every small sound that vibrated out of the other mans chest. Gabriel pulled away first, panting as he gazed down at Samthrian. With a smile he leaned down to bite at his kiss-swollen lips, tugging on them playfully as Samthrian moaned. Moving his mouth down Samthrian's jaw he whispered between kisses, "I can think of something way better than training we can do right now."

The only answer that he needed was Samthrian's bruising kiss to shut him up.


	11. It scares me half to death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry! Not only is it short, but the first couple of weeks of school has been madness, I'm not going to even mention Frosh week. I'll just say I've never laughed so hard in my life. Ever.
> 
> Because one of my readers can't live without smut within the first ten chapters (not pointing any fingers), so I wrote this (yes, yes, it's been more than ten chapters, but if you don't want it don't read it). May this satisfy all needs because I am going to take my damn sweet time now. You shall suffer the consequences…

The hand that was in Gabriel's hair tightened, pulling a drawn out moan from the Athenian's lips, the small flare of pain igniting tenfold in his belly. He could feel Samthrian smile beneath his mouth, the Spartan becoming bold in his actions. With a harsh jolt, Gabriel found himself on his back, Samthrian towering over him as power thrummed through his body.

Gabriel gasped at the sudden movement, Samthrian taking that perfect opportunity to thrust his tongue into the smaller man's mouth, running it along Gabriel's before pulling back to bite softly at his bottom lip. The sound that Gabriel let out could only be described as disappointment, a sound that Samthrian never wanted to hear again. Ducking his head down Samthrian trailed his lips down Gabriel's neck, his breath hot again the sensitive flesh.

Gabriel shuddered, his mind slowing down as he pleaded, "Come on Sam, get on with it." His words stuttering out as Samthrian latched his mouth onto the flesh of Gabriel's shoulder and sucked, his teeth bared against the soft skin. Biting down Samthrian reveled in the howl that came from Gabriel's mouth, his cry saved just for the Spartan.

Samthrian trailed his mouth down lower, ghosting over Gabriel's chest as his hands started moving, traveling up his thighs and teasing the bottom of his chiton. He ran the fabric between his fingers before shoving it over Gabriel's hips as he left a perfect imprint of his teeth on the smaller man's ribs.

Gabriel arched up, his hips thrusting up at the warmth of Samthrian's hands and the pure need to have them elsewhere. Without warning Gabriel flipped, wiggling his ass at Samthrian as he smirked over his shoulder, "What are you waiting for gorgeous? An engraved invitation?"

Samthrian growled, taking a handful of Gabriel's hair and pulling is back, hissing in his ear, "I'm waiting for you to be open and dripping for me." Gabriel's eyes darkened, a predatory smile breaking across Samthrian's face as he brought his fingers to Gabriel's lips, "Now suck."

Gabriel opened his mouth willingly, sucking all four of his fingers into his mouth easily, his tongue twirling around each digit, as he looked Samthrian dead in the eye. Samthrian froze for a moment, the sight before him heading straight for his cock. He swallowed hard before taking Gabriel's hips in his other hand, arranging himself perfectly behind the other man. He shoved his knees between Gabriel's, kicking them apart as he rocked his erection against Gabriel's ass. The shorter man inhaled sharply, the cool air sending mixed signs up Samthrian's heated skin. Taking his fingers from Gabriel's mouth Samthrian placed his one hand on Gabriel's hip, the other skirting under that tiny sheet of fabric that had been teasing him for days now. He ran a finger over his hole, the ring of muscle fluttering under Samthrian's touch. With a predatory grin Samthrian slipped his finger into Gabriel, the digit slipping in with little resistance. "You've been practicing Gabriel?"

The smaller man's head dipped towards the ground, his hips angling up as he spread his legs even more, "Every damn night."

Samthrian's eyes darkened, the image of Gabriel in his room opening himself up with his name on his lips causing his concentration to slip. The slight roll of Gabriel's hips brought him back, the Spartan pushing another slick finger into Gabriel's body. With a twist of his wrist Samthrian ran his fingers along Gabriel's insides, searching for that one spot. He knew the instant he found it; sweat breaking across Gabriel's back as he begged, "Just fuck me already!"

Samthrian scissored his fingers, Gabriel giving into the motion easily. Without a reply he stuck his third finger in, forcing the Athenian open even more. Gabriel could feel the smirk in Samthrian's voice as he answered; voice smooth and silky, "Patience is a virtue."

Gabriel turned his head, mouth open and prepared to give a retort when Samthrian curled his fingers, hitting his prostate dead on. Gabriel's mind stalled, the only thing he knew was burning pleasure. His arms shuddered when Samthrian did it again; sweat starting to cover his trembling form. "Sam, please."

The Spartan pulled his fingers out, fingers trembling as the pulled at the knot on the side of his hips, the leather covering falling easily to the ground. Samthrian spit on his hand before running in up and down his shaft, the hot touch not nearly enough to satisfy him. Lining himself up, Samthrian ran the head over Gabriel's hole, teasing the younger man and fighting the urge to bury himself into the willing body before him. He gave a slight roll of his hips, the tip pushing past Gabriel's rim before sliding back out making the other man hiss, "You. Are. Hades."

Samthrian let out a sardonic grin, his teeth flashing in the sun before placing his hands on Gabriel's hips and pulling the other man back, impaling him in one swift motion. Both men let out guttural moans, the feeling blocking out the world as it became centered on the two of men and them alone.

Samthrian pulled out slowly, the drag and heat making his mind stutter before slamming back into Gabriel, pulling the man closer with every thrust. Gabriel's fingers curled into the soft dirt beneath his palms, the muscle on his arms rippling as he pushed back into each thrust, the need to have Samthrian deeper and harder looping over and over again in his mind. "Come on Sam, harder!"

Something ignited in the Spartan, the taller man pulling out before flipping Gabriel onto his back and pushing right back in, the older man's legs wrapping like a snake around Samthrian's hips. Gabriel's eyes dropped close as Samthrian hit his prostate with every snap of his pelvis, his hands slowly travelling down the Spartans chest as they grew heavy, all he knew was the thrumming satisfaction of Samthrian working in and out of him.

The garden was filled with the serene sound of skin on skin, their breath echoing like a whisper through the trees. Neither could think, their instincts driving them closer and closer to each other. Samthrian placed his hands beside Gabriel's shoulders, his body hovering inches above the smaller man. Gabriel's hands ran around Samthrian's torso, nails digging trails down his back as he keened into every single one of Samthrian's motions. His eyes were lidded, the Athenian gazing up at the god before him as he stuttered out, "Sam, I'm gunna- I'm gunna-"

The Spartan locked his lips with the Athenian, his pace never ceasing. Samthrian pulled back just enough to whisper against the blood-swollen mouth, "Come for me Gabriel."

Gabriel's eyes flew open, a gasp passing his lips as he let go, his seed painting Samthrian's torso in thick stripes. The Spartan shuddered, burying himself as deep as he could in the tight heat beneath him before releasing, his body trembling with the force.

The two men remained still for a split moment of peace, their chest heaving with the attempt to restore oxygen to their minds. Samthrian moved first, pulling out of the other man before grabbing his cloak to wipe himself off. Gabriel watched with blown eyes as Samthrian stood, the red cloth traveling up and down his sweat and cum covered torso. A grin broke across his face as he said, "Valiant effort Sam-i-fran. If you work on your technique and execution you'll be perfect."

Samthrian looked down on the other man, a small smile teasing at the corners at his mouth, "Next time I'll lie back and you can do all the work."

His laughter broke out at the sight of the glare that could melt stone coming from Gabriel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Eighth Anniversary! It's been eight years since the first episode aired on television! Celebrate and be merry!


	12. Look out to the future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since school decided to round house kick me in the face and then hit me broadside with a 1500 page physics textbook, I have to go back to once a week updates. I apologize. Same reason for why this chapter is unedited.

The moon was shining bright above their heads, the full face of Artemis smiling down on them. There were lanterns placed around the garden, the open space that once was lush and green now beaten down after days of being trampled on by hurried and panicked feet. They gave a slight glow to the area, illuminating the spaces that the rays of the moon did not quite reach. The stars shone in their heavenly seats, each one positioned with purpose, telling the tales of heroes and their adventures, of woe and pain, stories that the men below were adding too with each breath that they took.

Those same stars sparkled in Denathus' eyes as he stood at the edge of the clearing, his gaze taking in every fleeting detail of the events happening before him. With a critical eye he watched as Castiel and Gabriel moved before him, their sparring becoming a repeated task, this being the third time that they had gone through the process. Samthrian stood beside Denathus, his arms crossed and his brow furrowed. The two men watched as the Athenians performed, their tasks being just that, a task, nothing more. Their motions were the complete opposite of their brothers before them.

Michael and Lucifer stood on the edge of the light, their faces masked by the looming darkness. They had arrived back at the house earlier that day, going through the routine training that they had missed several hours before. Castiel and Gabriel had been allowed the time to relax, Denathus and Samthrian wanting to combine their training that evening, pairing one from Samthrian together with one from Denathus. It seemed only logical that Michael and Lucifer, being the elders of the family, to be paired together, leaving Castiel and Gabriel to fight each other.

The way that Michael and Lucifer fought each other left Denathus speechless. There was a primal need that drove their actions, a sense that they needed to prove themselves with every blow. It was a clash of the titans, each one wanting to gain the throne on top of Mount Olympus. Both brothers were equally matched, neither able to gain the upper hand. For a moment Denathus worried that there would be no victor and that their fight would continue for hours when Michael did something that Denathus did not expect, he beat Lucifer. All it took was a fraction of a moment, a simple practiced flick of his wrist that had Lucifer's blade spinning to the ground and the tip of Michael's blade against his neck, his arm across his brothers chest, hand fisted in his shirt. No one spoke, the brothers panting heavily as they stared into each other's eyes. Michael hosted a cool resolve, his emotion completely buried as Lucifer's eyes danced with a fiery burden. The moment disappeared as swiftly as it appeared, the passion behind their fight extinguished as if doused with a bowl of ice water. Michael had pulled his blade away then, removing his arm from his brother as he took a step back.

The passion that Michael and Lucifer had was nowhere to be found with Castiel and Gabriel. They preformed their actions, repeated the steps that were drilled into their minds, but there was no heart behind it. They simply did as they were told, following the orders that they were given but not liking one moment of it. There was a reservation in their blows, an attempt to draw back the fraction of a second before the blades made contact. Not one of the men strived to win, the match more of a dance than a fight. Denathus could feel the tension in Samthrian growing, his own matching his brothers. This was painful for him to watch, the simple lack of conviction knawing away at him until he threatened to snap. All it took was a sloppy parry from Castiel to get Denathus storming out towards them, cape billowing like the wings of a demon.

Castiel and Gabriel ceased their actions, watching as Denathus approached them with a fire burning in his belly. He had not even come to a pause before he was speaking, his tone low so to keep himself for yelling, "Is this how you repay Samthrian and I?"

Castiel and Gabriel both exchanged nervous glances, not quite sure as to what Denathus was talking about. Gabriel shrugged as Castiel turned to speak, his mouth open before Denathus interrupted, "Why did you even agree to this if your plans were to never try?"

Gabriel held up his hand, turning to face the Spartan, "Hold on there Dean-o-" He was cut off by a sharp look from the man, his mouth snapping shut instantly.

Denathus turned back to Castiel, his eyes occasionally flickering over to Gabriel as well, "Do you think that this is a game? Some child's past time that can be taken lightly? Samthrian and I are trying to say your lives and you laugh in our faces. It seems that the great family name falls short when it comes to you. You two are a disgrace, unfit to even be here." Denathus paused, his eyes burning coals as he continued, "Leave your swords, never come back again."

The silence was thick, both Gabriel and Castiel had their jaws slightly open, neither fully grasping what had just occurred. The tension was running like a current through the air, sharp and toxic to the touch. It only became worse when Gabriel's mouth opened once more, his attention turned to Samthrian, "Sammy, I-"

Samthrian turned to the man, his voice quick and dripping with poison, "You will speak only when spoken too."

That was the spark needed to ignite the fire in the Athenians, an anger burning hotter than Hades roared to life behind Gabriel's eyes, a sneer marring his face as he took a step towards Samthrian. It was Castiel who held him back though, his attention solely focused on Denathus, "Who are you to cast judgment on my brother and I? You are guests in this home, an invitation that can be retracted as easily as it was given."

Denathus approached Castiel, their body's mere inches apart as he hissed, "I was brought here to be your teacher, something that I thought you would have the decency to respect. But you are nothing other than an abomination who has no greater purpose in life but to scrub the dirt off the floor after I have trodden over it."

Castiel's eyes bore into Denathus as he spat, "Gabriel and I are twice the men that you could ever dream to be."

Denathus words were hissed, barely heard by Castiel, "Then prove it."

The fire burned just as brightly as it did before as his head tilted, "What?"

Denathus closed the gap between him and Castiel, his voice gravely as he fought to keep his voice in control, "Prove. It."

Castiel barely contained a cry as he pushed Denathus away from him, swinging his sword towards his teacher; his mind becoming blank as technique and training came surging back to him. No matter how hard he would try in the future, Castiel could never remember what happened in those next few moments, the surge of adrenaline and his one focus blotting out everything else from his mind. The only thing he could ever recall was the feeling of his body hitting the ground and Denathus standing over him as he rolled over, blade gleaming in the moonlight as he said, "You are the reason that Athens will never be as great as Sparta."

Denathus disappeared into the house, Samthrian following after his brother. It was after the Spartans had disappeared from their sight that Gabriel knelt down beside Castiel, gripping his arm and pulling him to his feet. Castiel struggled to his feet, his head spinning as he rose. Suddenly Lucifer was at his side, holding his brother up as he calmly said, "Slowly Castiel."

Castiel muttered his thanks as Gabriel put Castiel's arm over his shoulder, Lucifer doing the same. They walked their brother into the house slowly, Castiel wincing from the pain that suddenly appeared throughout his body. They guided him to one of the couches, helping him sit as he let out a hiss, gritting his teeth against the agonizing pain in his knee. Michael knelt down before Castiel, a handful of cloths in his hand and a bowl of water at his side. Dipping one in the bowl he brought it to Castiel's face, carefully wiping away the dirt and blood that covered him. Castiel flinched away from the material when it came in contact with his temple, a sharp burning in its wake. He watched as Michael lowered the cloth, rinsing the blood out of it before bringing it back to his head.

Castiel's head was light, the edges of his vision blurring in and out of focus as he tried to focus on what Michael was saying to him, "…hit you pretty hard."

He could hear his brothers speaking but could not make out any of the words that they said, the sound of their voices becoming nothing more than background noise. Castiel did not realize that he was falling over until Gabriel and Lucifer both caught him, their shock and concern evident in the sound of their voices. Castiel blinked several times, trying his hardest to clear the fog out of his mind but it kept rolling back in, stronger each time and threatening to suffocate him.

He was once again on his feet, moving towards his room as Gabriel and Lucifer very nearly carried him there. There were moments when Castiel's feet would lag behind him, Lucifer having to hoist him back up as not to drag his brother forward. Castiel's head kept rolling on his neck, his eyes threatening to close on him constantly. As he neared his door Lucifer's voice broke through the fog, Castiel hearing the words but not understanding them, "…bastard, I'll kill him…"

He heard Michael's stern response and Gabriel's reply, but he was too tired to care. All Castiel wanted to do was sleep, to slip into the darkness and never emerge. So when his body hit his mat Castiel curled in on himself, a disoriented sigh leaving his lips as he faded into the blackness, the world around him disappearing into the confines of his mind. Castiel smiled in his sleep, finally knowing what peace truly felt like.


	13. But it tells you nothing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how many of you are aware of the pig that visited the boys at DallasCon, but his name is Icarus and now I am really having a hard time taking this story seriously knowing that there is a pig walking around with the same name. All I can imagine is a pig falling from heaven with burning wings and it is incredibly frustrating.

It was the insistent banging on the door that darkened Denathus' mood. It was the seventh day within the cycle that Denathus and Samthrian had agreed on with the Athenians. For six days the Athenians would train non-stop, resting only on the seventh day for sacrifices and offerings to the gods. Denathus moaned, turning over on his mattress and ignoring the pounding on the door. Some people say that if you ignore the problem it will go away. This philosophy did not work for Denathus though, a vase flying through the air and hitting him in the side a testimony to that fact.

Denathus turned over to glare at Samthrian who was currently curling into the fetal position on his side of the room, murmuring, "Get the damn door."

Denathus rolled his eyes, throwing the covers off of his body as he got out of bed. Picking up the vase Denathus threw it back at Samthrian, a heartfelt 'Bitch' thrown in for good measure. Samthrian flinched when the flying clay hit him, glaring at Denathus as he replied 'Jerk'.

With a scowl Denathus threw open the door, biting at the person on the other side, "What?"

On the other side of the door was Gabriel, the smaller man looking twice his size as he glared up at Denathus, "What did you do to Castiel?" Gabriel was furious, the air around him crackling with energy. He was toe to toe with Denathus; anyone seeing the two of them would say that Gabriel was the more powerful of the two, Denathus a mere mortal in the shadow of a Titan.

Denathus was shocked at the words of the Athenian and his demeanor, but the shock fell away quickly, replaced by indignation, "What are you talking about?"

Gabriel growled, his hands grasping Denathus' shoulders and slamming him against the wall, his voice hissing as he said, "He's not waking up."

The world froze, everything fading out of focus as Gabriel's words resounded in Denathus' mind. His face fell, the disbelief flowing through his body as Denathus gaped at Gabriel. His eyes were wide for a moment before he caught himself; the wall coming up faster than it came crashing down. He became steel one more time, his voice strong as he said, "Take me to him."

Gabriel eyed Denathus for a moment, his eyes hard and calculating as they scanned the other mans face. For a fraction of a moment Denathus thought that he would refuse but when Gabriel's grip relaxed, the shorter man removing his hold on Denathus, his worry faded away. By this time Samthrian was up and at Gabriel's side, waiting to accompany Denathus. Gabriel looked between the two of them before turning, casting a glance over his shoulder as he said, "Follow me," and walked down the hallway.

Silence filled the house; even their footsteps were nothing more than padded breaths of air on the stone floors. Not a person spoke as the trio headed towards Castiel's room. The door was open, Denathus knowing without having to see that the rest of the family was already there. The sight that met his eyes once he walked through the open door confirmed it. Anna was holding onto Castiel's hand, kneeling beside her son's side. Tears were streaming down her face as she placed light kisses on his fingers. Michael stood beside her, one hand on her shoulder and a blank expression on his face. Hester, Rachel and Naomi fretted over their brother, making small adjustments to his blanket or to his hair, their hands shaking as they did so. Lucifer stood in the corner of the room, arms crossed and eyes dark, his gaze burning into Castiel. Chuck was standing at the window, peering out of it and trying his hardest not to accept the circumstances around him.

Denathus gazed around the room once before walking in, Samthrian already following Gabriel to Castiel's side. Putting a hand on Anna's arm, Samthrian carefully loosened her grip on Castiel, a warm smile on his face. He gently helped her to her feet and guided her out of the door, telling her softly that he and Denathus were going to take care of Castiel. He guided the rest of the family out the same way, leaving Lucifer, Michael and Gabriel with them. Denathus knelt beside Castiel, letting his eyes roam over the man below him.

Castiel was lying on his back, his chest rising and falling slowly with each lungful of air that travelled through his body. His skin was a pale gold, the blood sinking from his skin and leaving it paler than before. Even after days of being under the sun it was colored to a light tan. The white linen that was lying low on his hips, just a sliver of hipbone poking out above the blanket, was the only item that covered his naked body. Castiel's once tussled hair had been flattened by the fingers of his sisters, their ceaseless fidgeting taming the wild mane. His mouth was slightly parted, a crack in between his lips that let faint gasps of breath pass by. They were chapped, the life giving air that danced by drying them out. Denathus resisted the urge to lean down and cover them with his own, to lick over the soft pink and make them wet with his tongue. Denathus shifted, turning his face towards Samthrian and waving him over. Samthrian knelt by his brother's side, his hands instantly going to Castiel's head. With careful hands Samthrian righted his skull, holding it still as Denathus looked over Castiel.

The two men worked under the gaze of all three brothers, each set of eyes sending unsettling shivers up their spines. It made the Spartans uncomfortable but nothing deterred them from what they were doing. Samthrian remained focused on Castiel, watching for any sign, good or bad, as Denathus went through various practiced motions, each one hammered into his mind. Every Spartan was taught varying degrees of medicine, ranging from binding a wound to detaching a severed limb. They knew which herbs to use to kill infection and which ones would stop bleeding. But most importantly, the Spartans knew the significance of head trauma.

Denathus worked in silence, first checking his vitals, making sure that there was nothing off with his pulse or breathing. Placing his ear to Castiel's chest Denathus listened to his heart, the faint beats whispering sweet promises to Denathus. He may have kept his head resting on Castiel's chest longer than what was appropriate, but Denathus was in no hurry to move from his position. Shifting his head slightly Denathus patiently waited, the sound of air rushing in and out of Castiel's lungs like music to his ears.

Reluctantly Denathus took his ear from Castiel's chest, turning to dace Gabriel as he asked, "Has Castiel ever suffered from a blow to the head before?"

Gabriel exchanged a glance with Michael, his eyes full of worry as he answered, his demeanor softening slightly, "When he was young Castiel was in the wrong place at the wrong time, which just so happened to be in the midst of a riot." Gabriel swallowed before continuing, his voice reaching a point of desperation, "He was struck on the temple and remained unconscious of four hours. But that was over ten years ago!"

Denathus opened his mouth to reply to Gabriel when Samthrian cut him off, his voice calm and collected, "There is no healing from a head injury Gabriel. It does not matter how much time has past, any additional injury will only add to the damage."

Worry filled Gabriel's face once again as he neared Castiel's side, kneeling beside his brother, "Will he be okay?"

Samthrian looked at Denathus, the elder refusing to meet his eye, "Only time will tell."

A rustle of fabric brought attention back to the other two men in the room, Lucifer emerging from the corner and swiftly exiting the area, his face unreadable. Michael quickly followed him; his brother's name a cry on his lips as he rushed down the hall.

The three men remained in silence for a moment until the footsteps echoing down the halls were nothing more than a forgotten promise. Denathus remained focused on Castiel as he spoke, taking his brothers spot beside Castiel's head, "I will wait with Castiel until he wakes. Samthrian, take Gabriel and continue training. Take Michael and Lucifer with you."

Gabriel's mouth opened in protest but Samthrian beat him to the punch, "You are going to need help taking care of him Dean."

Denathus looked up at his brother, a flare of protection that Samthrian had never seen before igniting behind his eyes, "I do not need your help Samthrian. You are not the only one who can fill a bowl with water. Now go, that's an order."

Samthrian's gazed hardened at Denathus' command, his every instinct screaming at him to ignore his brother and remain while every ounce of his training told him to obey his commanding officer. Glaring at Denathus Samthrian rose, his voice tense as he spoke, "Come Gabriel, we have work to do."

Gabriel looked between the two brothers, the air popping with tension. For once he kept his mouth shut, knowing better than to make the situation any worse. He walked behind Samthrian, his sight never moving from his brother, whom still lay peacefully on the cold floor. Gabriel paused in the doorway for a moment, his voice barely more than a whisper as he stated, "Take care of him Denathus. And if he dies, you will be meeting him in Hades. I guarantee that."

With that promise hanging in the air Gabriel left, the now vacant room looming around Denathus, the Spartan suddenly feeling incredibly small. Swallowing down the feeling Denathus settled on the floor, making himself as comfortable as he could before whispering, "You are going to wake up Cas, even if it kills me, I am going to see those blue eyes again."


	14. So take another breath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this is late. I got hit by school again and by a nasty cold. Still fighting it tooth and nail so I can be better for next weekend (TORONTO CON MOTHERFUCKERS). That being said, I will still be posting next week, so no worries there. And if you're going to be there, give me a shout. I would love to meet you.
> 
> Um, just one more thing. I have taken a few creative liberties with the medical system in this chapter. I don't know much about it, so I made things up... yah...

It took Castiel three days to wake up, Denathus never leaving his side for even a moment. Samthrian would sometimes stand outside the doorway and watch as his brother would carefully drip water into Castiel's open mouth as if handling a newborn, running a wet cloth over his lips to keep him hydrated. He remained focused the entire time, nothing drawing his attention from the man sleeping below him; the sense that Castiel was Denathus' responsibility driving him the entire time, not a fraction of a second taken by sleep.

It was Castiel's finger that twitched first, the sight fraction of life startling Denathus, the Spartan becoming more alert than he had ever been. He watched with an eagle's eye for the next several minutes, another movement the focus of every prayer that he sent up to the gods. Castiel's next motion was one for more proportion, a moan echoing from his mouth as his head turned to the side, one hand gripping at the cold floor below him. That had Denathus calling out, Samthrian and Castiel's entire family rushing into the room, eyes wide with hope. Castiel moaned again, his eyes fluttering open before he let out a gasp, shutting his eyes and turning violently away from the sunlight streaming into his room, causing another moan to escape his body. Denathus unconsciously moved to block the sunlight from hitting Castiel's face, giving the man some form of escape.

Castiel blinked several times, eyes struggling to focus on the people around him. "Gabe?" he asked, his voice breaking after disuse and causing him to cough.

Denathus was there to help instantly, helping the other man sit up, waiting until the violent expulsions of air were distant memories. Holding a bowl of water to Castiel's lips he instructed Castiel to drink, only letting a small flow of water enter the other man's mouth before pulling it back. Gabriel knelt down beside Castiel, tears rimming his eyes as he said, "I'm here Cassie."

Castiel cocked his head, his eyes unfocused as he asked, "Where's Samandrial?"

Gabriel choked, one tear slipping down his cheek before he answered, "He's not here Castiel. Hasn't been for a long time."

Castiel shook his head slightly, his face full of confusion as he stated, "No! I saw him yesterday! We were going to go to the market today. He wanted an orange so bad…" Castiel started panicking, his chest rising and falling with each rapid intake of breath, eyes skittering around the room.

Denathus put his hand on Castiel's back as Samthrian made each Athenian take several steps back, his brown eyes full of concern. Denathus rubbed small circles on his back, making the other man bend down, his head going between his knees. Denathus spoke softly, his words barely more than whispers, "Breathe Castiel, slowly. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Try and match me." With that he moved, sitting side by side with the other man, just enough contact for Castiel to feel the expansion and collapse of Denathus' torso along side his own. Castiel's family watched as his breathing slowed down, the shaky breaths finally becoming the solid like the soldier's beside him.

Castiel could hear Samthrian telling his family to leave the room, the tallest Spartan leaving after them as the soft creak of the door finalizing their departure. He kept his head down, pulling his knees up to rest his forehead against. He wrapped his arms wound his knees, pulling them tight into his chest as the memories came flooding back to him, each one just as vivid as if he was living them again. Every second of his life came rushing back to him, his head pounding with the strain. The only thing that evaded him was the night before, no matter how hard he tried to recall the circumstances; there was nothing that could bring that moonlit evening back to him.

He could feel Denathus' presence at his side; he did not need to see the face of the man beside him to know that his protector was none other than the golden Spartan. He knew in the same way that a mother knew her child, with complete and perfect certainty. The words that flowed like the sweetest honey reached Castiel's ears, the hand on his back stilling as the Spartan spoke, "Castiel, do you remember where you are?"

Castiel nodded, his head rubbing up and down on the blanket covering his form before replying, "My bedroom."

He must have answered well as Denathus' voice was lighter when he asked the next question, "Do you know what season it is?"

Castiel remained still this time, "It's the first season of the year, the new moon was just last night."

That didn't seem to be the answer that Denathus wanted as the hand on his back tensed for a second before the man spoke again, "The new moon was four nights ago. You've been unconscious for three days Castiel."

Castiel looked up at that statement, searching Denathus face for any trace of a lie, any strand that he could hold on to. But the Spartan had no flaw in his armor, nothing to tell Castiel that what he had just said was anything less than word of the gods. "What- what happened?"

Denathus' brow came together, his eyes hard as he asked, "Can you not remember?"

Castiel faintly shook his head, his expression that of utter hopelessness. Denathus turned Castiel's downcast head towards him, catching his blue eyes with his green, "What can you remember?"

Castiel sighed, his gaze moving to the blank floor at his feet as he struggled to relive the night before, "Gabriel and I were sparring in the garden when you called out for us to stop…or was that Samthrian?" Castiel raised his head, his eyes helpless, "I- I can't recall."

Denathus took a deep breath, running his hand through his hair before recalling, "After I stopped you and Gabriel sparring, there were words exchanged that resulted in you picking up your sword and fighting me. I landed several blows on you, the final one resulting in a head injury that should not have been as bad as it was. You have been asleep ever since."

Castiel took in Denathus' words, watching as the Spartan refused to meet his eye as he told the story, the wall across from them seemingly more important than Castiel. Castiel was stern as he spoke again, demanding Denathus' attention, "What did you say Denathus?"

Denathus turned back to the other man, his demeanor screaming that this was a subject that he did not want to discuss, "It doesn't matter-"

"What did you say Denathus?" Castiel snapped, his eyes blazing dangerously similar to those of Lucifer.

"I called you an abomination okay?! Are you happy now?" Denathus blurted out, no source of an apology to be found in his words.

Castiel's face hardened, his voice a low rumble in his chest, "Get out."

Denathus did not need to be told twice, standing gracefully to his feet and out the door, the swirl of his cloak the only reminder of his presence. Castiel watched with a fury growing his belly, bile rising in the back of his throat at the mere thought of the other man.

Denathus swept down the hallway and down to the center room where the rest of Castiel's family waited, never having left each other's sides the entire time. He spoke calmly and without a trace of emotion, "Castiel needs rest, only soft food for the first several days and increasing amounts of liquid. His body will be weaned back after such a lengthy amount of time without. Samthrian, I must speak with you and Gabriel privately."

Denathus left the room, a confused Samthrian following after him, Gabriel trailing with an admirable gap between him and the taller man before him. Denathus headed to the garden, stopping and turning in the middle of the open space. He hardly waited for the other two men to join him before speaking, "I am no longer able to train Castiel."

Gabriel huffed, crossing his arms, as he remarked, "No shit Dean-o. Most people don't come back from a vicious beating asking for more."

Denathus glared at Gabriel, his eye never leaving the other man as he spoke to Samthrian, "I was hoping that I could train Michael and Lucifer."

Samthrian and Gabriel both called out at the same time, each one just as passionate as the other, "No!" "Oh gods no!"

Denathus looked between the two of them, not quite grasping the problem with his suggestion, "Why not?"

Samthrian crossed his arms, his gazed iron clad, "There is nothing you can say that would make me want to train Gabriel."

Gabriel scoffed, "I'd rather be castrated than spend another moment looking at his ugly mug."

Samthrian muttered under his breath, turning his face away from the smaller man, "You'd be doing the world a favor."

Gabriel opened his mouth to respond, but thinking twice he just closed his mouth and punched Samthrian in the nose, a sharp crack echoing through the garden. Samthrian's hand flew to his nose, blood streaming between his fingers. His eyes were wide, more from disbelief than shock, a steady flow of curses coming from his mouth. Denathus watched the exchange with wide eyes, his mouth hanging open before a laugh erupted out of him. Denathus kept laughing, each day of stress lifting from him. Gabriel and Samthrian both watched him, Gabriel with unbelief and Samthrian with confusion, Denathus' behavior shocking them both.

The blonde's eyes filled with tears, one leaking out of the corner of his eyes before his laughter settled down to mere heavy intakes of breath. Running a hand under his eyes, Denathus chuckled, "Come on Sam, let's get that nose set."

As Denathus and Samthrian walked past Gabriel, Denathus turned his head to Gabriel, giving the other man a smirk and a nod, congratulating him on shutting Samthrian up. Gabriel smiled smugly, crossing his arms across his chest and grinning like the Cheshire cat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And since Ao3 is pissing me off and no matter how many times I have tried to fix it, that last note won't go away.
> 
> YOU CAN IGNORE IT. It was from the first chapter and it keeps popping up like a cold sore. I hate it.


	15. You put up your defences when you leave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for any confusion in the last chapter. The hate going between Gabriel and Samthrian is explained in this chapter. Once again, apologies.
> 
> Going to go and meet Death. Later readers. Oh! And thank you so much to everyone who is reading and reviewing, I love getting them so much! It's nice to know what you think of my writing.

Denathus led Samthrian into the kitchens, making him sit on a stool as he took a bowl and filled it with water. Grabbing a spare cloth Denathus placed the items beside his brother. He placed his one hand on Samthrian's shoulder while the other took his brothers broken nose, his voice emotionless as he said, "On three. One, two," and with that he repositioned Samthrian's nose, realigning the cartilage and bone once again. There was a quick in take of breath from Samthrian, the only reaction that he would have to the sharp pain and dull throb that resulted from the painful resetting of his facial features. Denathus knew the pain he suffered, he himself breaking his nose several times; the only luck he had was having a commanding officer around whenever it happened, his nose almost as straight as it was the day he was born. Samthrian had the same luck, his nose once again perfectly positioned on a face that Denathus would tease him about, saying that only a woman should look so pretty. The resulting conversation would always end with Samthrian saying it was better to be pretty than end up looking like the back end of a horse.

This time though when Denathus smirked, "There you go, lady-killer once again," and picked up the cloth and bowl, dipping it in the bowl to begin washing Samthrian's face, the conversation took a very different turn.

"I slept with Gabriel." Denathus nearly dropped the bowl, his head snapping to face his brother, his jaw hanging loose. Samthrian was studying his hands; his head hanging low with what Denathus would call shame. He fiddled with his fingers, refusing to acknowledge his brother's intense gaze.

Placing both items on the counter to free his hands Denathus moved to stand directly before Samthrian, staring down the top of his younger brother's head, "Say that again."

Samthrian looked up, his eyes skirting around, unable to met Denathus'. He swallowed hard, his voice breaking slightly before he chocked out, "Gabriel and I slept together."

Denathus took in his brother, desperately to fight the urge to explode. Samthrian was pale and clammy, nearly on the verge of sickness. A cold sweat had broke across his brow, his hands shaking as he twirled them together, a feeble attempt at calming his shot nerves. Denathus took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he asked, "Since when?"

When Samthrian didn't answer Denathus opened his eyes, the shock on his brothers face confusing him for a moment, "What?"

Samthrian was hesitant, as he spoke, "You're not mad?"

It was Samthrian's eyes that got Denathus, so open and vulnerable, what ever he said next could ultimately destroy his brother. Taking a deep breath Denathus spoke slowly, tasting each word before he said them, weighing their meanings as they passed his lips, "Sam, you're my brother, so I'm not going to lie to you. Yeah I'm mad, I mean really Sammy? Gabriel? Out of all the men in Athens, it had to be Gabriel?"

Samthrian looked away from Denathus, his eyes pained as he gazed around the room, "It wasn't supposed to become anything. He was a rebound, nothing more, something to help me get over the loss of Jess. I never thought-" Samthrian broke off, his hands becoming the main focus of his attention once again.

Denathus was stern as he spoke, "Talk to me Sammy. You never thought what?" He ducked his head a bit, trying to catch Samthrian's gaze.

Samthrian took a deep breath before meeting Denathus' eye, his voice barely a whisper, as if he was admitting his deepest secret, "That I'd end up falling for him."

There was nothing that Denathus could say to this admission, his mouth shut in a tight line as he fought back the urge to chew Samthrian up and spit him out. His brows furrowed, eyes narrowing as he waited for his temper to simmer down. Once he was in control of himself again Denathus spoke, "What happened Sammy?"

Samthrian turned and picked up the cloth that lay forgotten beside him, picking at the loose strings as he answered, "It started the night that you fought Castiel…"

_Samthrian could feel the burning gaze of Gabriel on his back as he walked after Denathus, his gut turning as his words echoed back in his mind, 'You will speak only when spoken too'. Bile rose in his throat at the memory, the guilt making him sick. There were so many other things that he could have said, why were those the words that crawled like vermin out of his mouth? Samthrian tossed and turned the entire night, his actions haunting his every waking moment and leaking into his restless dreams. He hadn't realized that he had slipped from conscious until the knocking on the door the next morning, dragging him from a dream as dark as his reality was about to become._

_When he saw that it was Gabriel standing at the door Samthrian's guilt came back tenfold, every apology that he constructed in his mind over the last several hours disappearing, replaced by the simple need to kneel at Gabriel's feet and sub come to his wrath, what ever that might be, his head bent low in submission. Gabriel's fury made itself know, a power that Samthrian could not believe came out of the other man. He was a winter storm; a crippling punishment dealt out by the gods, a terror fierce enough to make the bravest tremble. He was unpredictable and inconsolable, a chaotic power that you could only watch as it tore through you, mindless and wild. Samthrian froze as he watched the two powers that were Gabriel and Denathus collide, an earthquake meeting a tornado, the only sure outcome was destruction._

_When Gabriel took a step back Samthrian knew that it wasn't a reduction of power, just a compromise for the moment. His control remained as he led them to Castiel, the single weakness in his impermeable armor. Samthrian could see the fight seep out of the other man's shoulders the instant his eyes landed on Castiel, love over powering anything that was once plaguing his mind. That anger only came back when Samthrian led Gabriel back out of the room, an apology slipping past his lips before he could stop it, "I am so sorry Gabriel."_

_The man was heading down the hallway when the words reached him, freezing his steps and tensing his entire form. He turned slowly, his eyes burning with a fire that was white hot, "You're sorry?" The word was spat out like a hot coal, cinders exploding and threatening to engulf the room in flames. "My brother is unconscious in the other room and your brother put him there! But no, you're sorry, so everything is alright."_

_Samthrian opened his mouth, unsure as what he wanted to say but he knew that he had to say something, "Gabriel, I-"_

" _NO!" Gabriel yelled, "I didn't give you a command, I didn't ask you a question! You only speak when spoken too!"_

_All guilt that had been plaguing Samthrian shut down, cold fury chilling his veins. The words were jumping out of his mouth before he knew what he was saying, "My brother and I having been working our asses off trying to make your miserable family into soldiers, so you better damn well expect that we are going to treat you like one! I am your commanding officer and you will treat me as such!"_

_Gabriel's eyes narrowed, his voice hissing, "Do you sleep with all your soldiers?"_

_Samthrian towered over Gabriel, his voice going low as he growled, "Only the ones I pity."_

Denathus waited for Samthrian to continue but when he didn't finish Denathus pushed, "Well?"

Samthrian looked up from the cloth, glancing around for a moment before asking, "Well what?"

Denathus stared at his brother stunned for a moment, having a hard time believing that Samthrian had no idea what he was talking about, "What happened!"

Samthrian shrugged, looking back to the newly frayed bit of fabric in his over sized hands, "I stormed down the hall and Gabriel and I haven't spoken since."

Denathus grabbed the cloth from Samthrian's hands, a startled 'Hey!' coming from his brothers lips, "What the hell were you thinking Sammy?"

Samthrian sighed, brushing his hair back from his face, "That's the problem Dean, I wasn't thinking. I can't ever think when I'm around him."

Denathus shook his head, dipping the now significantly smaller rag into the bowl of water, washing the blood from his brother's face more forcefully than necessary. Samthrian didn't protest though, allowing the brutal cleaning to continue. Denathus rinsed the cloth, wringing it out over the bowl, watching as the clotted red and brown mixture flowed into the pure white porcelain, red drops splashing onto the counter. He brought the fabric back up to Samthrian's face, his rough treatment remaining as he dragged the cloth over the younger man's chin and lips. Samthrian let out a grunt of protest, annoyed at his brothers antics. Denathus cleaned the cloth again, his voice teasing as he said, "Shut it bitch."

Samthrian grabbed Denathus' arm as he raised it again, "Then tone it down, jerk." Denathus pulled his arm back, a small smile on his face at the shadow of joy on Samthrian's face. He finished cleaning his brother's face with a gentle hand, the mood dropping again in the silence.

Samthrian didn't look at his brother as his spirit sunk once again, his eyes glued to the bowl of bloody water at his side, knowing that it was there because of him. The fault was on his shoulders.

"You really like him don't you?" Denathus' spoke softly, his eyes watching as the blood slowly seeped from the rag into the surrounding water of the bowl, the thin tendrils tainting the once pure life bringing liquid, making it worthless and filthy. For some strange reason the imagine resonated in his mind, twisting his gut into unimaginable shapes. He tried to shake the feeling, turning his face to his brother instead.

Samthrian let out a sad chuckle, "Yeah Dean, I do."

Denathus took the bowl in his hands and dumped it out the doorway, the liquid splashing and hitting his feet before he spoke, "Then we're just going to have to get him back."

Samthrian jumped off the counter as Denathus walked by, placing the bowl that was thrust into his hands on the spot that he had previously been occupying, "What do you mean we?"

Denathus turned to his brother, his voice cocky, "Come on now Sammy, did you really think that I would let you handle this by yourself? You know me better than that." Denathus turned to walk out of the room, pausing in the doorway to throw a quick comment over his shoulder, "Hey, which one of you is the bitch?" Quick reflexes were the only reason that Denathus wasn't hit by the bowl that was thrown with startling accuracy at his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I FIXED THE END NOTES! *extreme jubilation and throwing of confetti*  
> Sorry, got really excited there for a moment...carry on.


	16. You leave because you're certain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG! I can't even BEGIN to explain how busy I am with school work at the moment. (I am actually taking the ten minutes I have between classes to post this) So this is unedited, hastily written, and over all crappy. Enjoy!

Denathus paused before Castiel's doorway, his stomach turning as he raised his fist to knock, a bad taste entering his mouth. Taking a calming breath he rapped his knuckles on the darkened wood, his breath escaping him as he waited for a response. The lapse between Denathus' knock and Castiel's answer seemed to stretch to the mountains and back, tearing at Denathus' nerves with each passing second. He quickly reminded himself of why he was there, his brother far more important than Castiel's distain for him.

"Come in," Castiel's voice was raspy, still sore from disuse. For a brief second Denathus wondered if his voice would sound the same after sucking on someone's dick. He banished the thought from his mind upon entering the room though, the fantasy was child's play in comparison to the vision he had just walked into. Castiel was standing in the corner of the room, his back turned to Denathus. He was in the process of pulling on his chiton, the muscles of his back bunching a flexing in a manner that had Denathus salivating. The cloth flowed down his back, teasing and flirting with the back of his corded thighs. Castiel turned, rearranging the cream colored cloth as he did so, causing it to stretch taunt over his newly chiseled chest, out lining each muscle before falling loose once again. Castiel's hands were busy tying a kolpos around his waist, accenting just how lean he was, his eyes turned down to watch what his hands were doing.

Denathus shifted slightly, aware of his growing arousal, his imagination going wild with all the things that he could do to Castiel at that moment with his hands alone. His dilemma was made all the worse when Castiel raised his head, his cerulean blue eyes enough to make a god weep with need. His dark brown hair was tussled from pulling the coarse fabric over his head and adding to Denathus' hand fantasies, begging to be tugged and pulled. The way that Castiel's face fell when he saw Denathus had all his dreams coming to a screeching halt, the train jumping rail and plowing through neighboring fields until all that was left was a heap of charred bones. "What do you want?"

Denathus stood his ground, planting his feet firmly before he spoke, "I've come to speak to you about Samthrian."

Castiel remained on the other side of the room, his glare relentless, "What could you possibly have to say that would be of interest to me?"

Denathus crossed his arms, an action that made the well-defined muscle stand out even more. Castiel turned his eyes away, the sight distracting him from his anger. "It has to do with Gabriel as well."

Castiel brought his gaze back to the Spartan, his curiosity peaked, "You have my attention."

Denathus relaxed, his arms uncrossing as he informed Castiel, "Samthrian and Gabriel have been participating in carnal recreations."

Castel shrugged, his attention moving from Denathus to his window, the Athenian gazing out to the garden beyond it, "I suspected it. I yet to see what this has to do with me."

Denathus gritted his teeth, the other man easily getting under his skin, "I will be needing your help to remedy their relationship."

Castiel turned back to Denathus, his head slightly tilted, "What do you mean, 'remedy'?"

Denathus smirked, "You know, fix. Make right. Correct."

Castiel glared at the Spartan, his voice emotionless, "Thank you, I am well aware of the meaning of the word."

Denathus smiled, "If you knew, why did you ask?"

Castiel glowered, his patience running thin, "You understood my question, and you just wish to be difficult."

Denathus waved Castiel's comment off, giving up on his previous attempt at bantering, "Over the period of time that you were unconscious, Samthrian and Gabriel had a falling out of sorts."

Castiel narrowed his eyes, the motion communicating his want for Denathus to elaborate just as well as the words he spoke, "Explain."

Denathus huffed, "Words were said, insults traded, and then Gabriel broke Samthrian's nose. What's more to be said?"

Castiel blinked several times, making sure that he had heard Denathus before biting his bottom lip, trying desperately not to laugh, "He broke Samthrian's nose?"

Denathus was puzzled, his answer reluctant, "Uh, yeah."

Castiel burst out laughing, the low rumble echoing through the room causing Denathus to smile. All of the tension eased out of Castiel, the joy seeping out of every pore in his body, lightening his skin and making him glow. His eyes sparkled, glistening in the afternoon sunlight. There wasn't a more beautiful sight in the world. Castiel's laughter peaked, coming down with several chuckles from its crescendo. Still smiling Castiel commented, "That must have been quite the sight to see."

Denathus chuckled, "It really was." Shaking his head a bit he become serious, "But back to business, are you going to help me or not?"

Castiel turned back to the window, weighing his opinions for a moment before stating, "This won't change anything between us."

Denathus inwardly cringed but nodded all the same, "Understood."

Castiel turned back to Denathus, taking several steps forward before replying, "You have my assistance."

Denathus held out his hand, Castiel giving it a quizzical look before Denathus sighed, "You shake it Castiel."

Castiel took Denathus' hand wearily, holding on a little longer than necessary. Not that Denathus minded, not one bit. Reluctantly Denathus released Castiel's hand, running his hand through his hair before slowly stating, "I was going to inform the rest of the household about this plan, would you mind telling Michael and Lucifer? I was going to handle your sisters and mother."

Castiel nodded once, his eyes travelling to the door rather than Denathus, "I am able to manage that."

Denathus shuffled his feet for a moment, debating whether or not to stay or go. The moment dragged on, nearing the verge of unease before Denathus stuttered out, "Uh, thanks. Again I mean," and disappearing out of Castiel's presence.

Denathus walked out of Castiel's room, heading towards gynaikon to speak to the women of the household while Castiel went to the andron to talk to Michael and Lucifer. Denathus scolded himself several times over, his lack of poise infuriating him. He was a Prince and a Spartan nonetheless; capable of looking danger in the face and laughing. Yet he couldn't talk to another man. It was embarrassing, the tips of Denathus' ears going red at just the thought.

He didn't have long to muse over his faults though, arriving at the gynaikon sooner than he realized. Denathus stood outside of the room, taking a breath to steady himself before rapping on the frame of the open door. The noise drew the attention of each female, their eyes lifting from their work and landing on Denathus. Anna was the one to speak first, placing the fabric she was detailing to the side and giving her full attention to the Spartan, "Yes Denathus? What is it?"

Denathus went to take a step forward, stopping himself before entering the room, "May I come in?"

Anna nodded, holding her hand out to the man, ushering him in and to her side, "But of course Denathus, please."

Denathus entered, moving to sit beside Anna, turning his body so he faced Castiel's sisters as well. "I have a favor to ask of you all." Denathus trailed off, making sure that all in the room were listening before he continued, "It has to do with Gabriel and Samthrian."

Hester and Rachel looked at each other before letting out a laugh that Denathus could only call a giggle, their hands moving to cover their mouths. Naomi and Anna were more composed, although the smiles on their faces betrayed their true feelings. It was with motherly love that Anna asked, "What news to you have to tell us Denathus?"

Denathus dropped his head for a moment, the guilt at knowing that he was going to shatter the family's joy pausing his words, "They have ceased talking to one another."

Just as he expected the smiles fell from each face, Anna's lips pursed as she said, "I thought as much. We could all tell, these last few days have been tense. I was hoping that it was just due to Castiel's misfortune…" Anna trailed off, not needing to voice the end of her sentence; everyone knowing what she was going to say.

The silence lasted a moment, each feeling passing from one person to another before Denathus spoke, "That is why I have to come to you. I must ask for your help. We must get them back together."

The joy ignited in each face once again, burning twice as strong as it had before. Anna placed her hand on Denathus', her eye twinkling as she replied, "You will have more than our help Denathus. You have my word."

Denathus smiled, a small flicker of life coming back into his eyes, "Thank you."

Anna nodded, pulling her hand away and gazing at her daughters. The three girls were currently whispering together, hundreds of plans being formed within seconds. A spark of mischief lighted in her eyes, her own devious plan forming in the recesses of her mind. Denathus had no idea what he had just signed up for.


	17. Of who you want to be

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is set right at the beginning of the Iron age and end of the Bronze age in Greece. This means that weapons were in the midst of transitioning into stronger and sharper weapons. Those that are older would have been made out of bronze, a weaker alloy than the Iron of the newer weapons. Because of this, larger and richer armies would have an upper hand to the smaller and poorer ones, their weapons breaking under the better ones. This flaw was remedied quickly, but there was a time where both types of weapons could be found facing each other.

The next few days were labored, Gabriel making every attempt to make Samthrian's life miserable. It first started as ignorance, refusing to answer any question given to him or attempt at conversation, but then it turned into rebuttal and insults, every comment and remark coming from his mouth tearing into Samthrian and ripping him apart. Samthrian refused to retaliate though, brushing off each comment lightly while slowly rotting away where no one could see; no one, except for Denathus.

Every blow that Samthrian suffered, Denathus felt himself. Each comment that Gabriel threw Samthrian's way weighed down Denathus like a ton of bricks, the pressure increased a tenfold on Samthrian's shoulders as it mixed with the guilt already lying there. His feet dragged as he walked through the hallways, his body curling in and creating the illusion of the once proud Spartan being cut down to half the man that he once was. Denathus watched as his brother slowly disappeared, his anger slowly boiling within his chest.

The day was just like any other, the men had been put through their morning ritual, the silence echoing through the mountains around the city like a shroud. There was nothing to be heard over the pounding of feet, each one in sync with the man beside him. Breath entered and exited through parted lips as the men made their way up the final hillside, two identical lines of three moving in tandem. Each head was bowed, all attention focused on the task at hand. It had been this way for days now, not a single word passed between any of the men during training. Denathus and Samthrian being the only ones to bark out orders at the men before they were carried out in silence.

The men made it back to their house, slowing to a walk as they entered the rear gate. There was a brief moment before where they walked around, stretching their limbs and calming their pounding hearts. Gabriel broke the moment; the smallest man making a straight line for the house like the surrounding area was on fire. He didn't get far though as Denathus' hand shot out and snagged the back of his chiton, the material gathering at Gabriel's neck and digging into the flesh before he stopped with a huff. Gabriel's voice was low as he growled out, "What?"

Denathus' smiled was anything but joyful as he stated, "I thought we could skip the weight training today and go straight to sparing. Get some of that adrenaline out of our systems." His smile turned predatory, his teeth glistening in the morning sun.

Gabriel threw a glare over his shoulder at the other man before strongly tearing out of the Spartan's grip. He stormed back towards the center of the garden without a word, the cloud of rage storming behind him as he moved, poisoning what ever it touched. He brushed past his brothers, each one scrambling to get out of his way, even Lucifer taking a step back as his brother made his way past him.

Gabriel made his way to the clearing, stopping once he reached the center and turning on his heel to face the others. He raised his arms, his face a scowl as he stated, "Let's see what that pity has earned me."

Samthrian's face darken instantly, the built up anger and frustration finally rising to the surface as he took careful and concise steps towards Gabriel, his eyes the only proof of the devil tearing its way out of him. He paused five paces from Gabriel, his hands reaching to the hilt of the sword that was always at his side, his cloak having been removed hours before. The ringing of steel against steel echoed through the trees, golden eyes hard as stone as they took in the awe inspiring sight before them. His eyes never moved as his hand flew out to catch the blade that was tossed his way, a flawless movement made by only those who knew their way around a sword.

The two men locked eyes, neither willing to give any ground to the other. Samthrian was stoic as a grin slithered across Gabriel's face, his eyes those of a viper as he twirling his blade in his hand.

The tension was thick before it finally snapped, Gabriel lunging forward and swinging his blade in an upward arch, the swing quick and precise towards it's final destination of Samthrian's neck. The Spartan reacted habitually, his blade collided with Gabriel's, the ringing echo of metal on metal ringing through the valley. Denathus watch with surprise as a chip fell from Samthrian's blade and disappeared into the grass below. The men pulled back harshly, metal scrapping as it moved apart. There was barely a pause before Gabriel attacked again, his movement's cool and collected as he fought, his mind focused only on man before him. Each one of his attacks was countered just as fluidly, Samthrian watching and taking Gabriel's style as he moved. He soaked in his fighting abilities, all of Gabriel's moves were focused and centered on the blade in his hands, all bodily options ignored or forgotten. Samthrian stored this knowledge away, letting himself get backed into a tree before retaliating.

Stopping Gabriel's vertical blow Samthrian spun, lodging Gabriel's blade in the tree behind him for a split second before it was ripped out, giving Samthrian just the right amount of time to counter attack. Gabriel was weaker than Samthrian by a tenfold, his strength easily overpowering the other man as Samthrian rained blow after blow on the Athenian, each one sending jolts of pain down Gabriel's arms as he tried to parry them. Samthrian kept attacking with all his force, planning on tiring Gabriel out before he started to use his size and speed to his advantage. But Samthrian was not quick enough as Gabriel let Samthrian's downward stroke slide off his blade and towards the ground, giving him time to turn and thrust towards Samthrian's mid section. Samthrian was quick enough to block the strike, but only just. The men exchanged blow for blow, neither gaining nor losing ground to the other. Samthrian's strength and Gabriel's speed evenly matched each other, each blow that Samthrian attempted was cat to the side and before one was returned in equal measure. These exchanges occurred time and time again, the fight nothing but the clashing of iron. The flow was constant and free but unchanging. This would continue forever if there was not a change in pace or technique.

Samthrian was the one to bring this change swiftly, blacking Gabriel's blow with one hand as his other swung forward, catching him on the side of his face and knocking him off of his feet. The Athenian was stunned for a moment, his hand touching his face with hesitancy as he felt the trickle of blood seep from the cut on his cheek. He pulled his hand away and gazed down at his reddened fingers, the dark crimson causing his eyes to narrow. His teeth ground together as he leapt to his feet, his fingers going white on the handle of this sword. The Athenian shot forward, his blade nothing but a whirl of forged iron. Samthrian found himself not only needing to fend against Gabriel's blade, but against his bodily attacks also. The smaller man had left all his teachings behind, his strikes sporadic and unpredictable. Samthrian's eyes widened at this new attack, his sword barely keeping up with the other.

Castiel and Denathus watched in silence as Gabriel gained the advantage over Samthrian, the larger man stumbling backwards as he blocked strike after strike, his arms getting heavier and heavier as sweat broke across his brow. Denathus had to keep himself back, knowing the signs of his brother weakening after having seen them time and time again before they came to this shinning city. There was nothing that he could do though, this was Samthrian's fight and he had to respect that. He could feel Castiel tensing up beside him; the Athenian jerking forward to restrain his brother but Denathus threw out his arm just in time, catching the brunette before he had the chance of interfering. Castiel turned to face him, his eyes questioning Deanthus' actions. Turning his head towards the fight Denathus simply shook his head, the man beside him relaxing at the action.

Samthrian's heart beat was pulsing in his ears as his arms quaked, his sword that was once so light and airy became a block of marble in his hands, weighing him down and slowing his movements. Everything was moving before his eyes in a blur, his mind barley keeping up with his body, each one slowing down before finally failing, his blade dropping from his grip as he fell to his knees. Bowing his head Samthrian opened the back of his neck up to his opponent, accepting his defeat and allowing the punishment that he deserved. The familiar heat of an iron blade touched the bottom of his chin, forcing his face up to look at the man standing before him.

Samthrian raised his eyes, taking in the sight of the Athenian standing above him, the sun hitting the top of the mountains, appearing above their frosted tips, leveling the valley in warm orange light lined in black shadows. Gabriel face was partially hidden, his right eye shinning in the awakening light. His chest rose and fell with each labored breath, his chest glistening as he glared down at the Spartan. The man sneered, the blade pressing further into the golden flesh of Samthrian, "Where is your pity now Spartan?"

Samthrian looked straight into Gabriel's eyes, a small smile crawling across his face as he answered, "The same place it has always been. Non-existent."

Gabriel's sneer dropped, replaced by a smile that had been dead for far too long, "Damn right, and make sure that it stays that way." He took the blade away from Samthrian's neck, holding out his hand instead, "This doesn't mean that I forgive you."

Samthrian took his hand, using the smaller man as leverage to pull himself to his feet, "And this doesn't mean that I don't want a re-match."

Gabriel grinned up at the giant, his face finally containing the joy he once always had, "Bring it on Adonis."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is going to be the last chapter for a while. I was lucky that I even had time to write and publish this one. (It isn't edited by the way, hence the mistakes.) I am nearing the end of my school term which means that I have two finals next week and then five more in the next three weeks. I won't be able to write or update until I get home in the last week of december. I truly apologize for the inconvenience. I'll try and make it up to you guys in the new year.


	18. You're putting up your armour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to know why this took so long, read the authors note on the bottom. Other than that, just some information about greek Agora's. They first started out as places for citizens to gather to hear civic announcements and later became open air markets. These markets are still in Greece to this very day. Theses markets boasted not only food items from traders, but also hand made items from craftsmen. There was everything that a person needed at the Agora.

The sight of four men walking through the open streets was not one that was common in Athens, the event made even more peculiar by the addition of the two Spartans, both completely out of their element. The sight was made even stranger by the idea that these men were heading from the Theater of Dionysus, the four of them standing out against the flow of the crowd like gods among commoners. Two of them were laughing joyously, the others looking on with a spark in their eyes, the bliss of the others laughter enough to lift their spirits to new heights.

Samthrian and Gabriel shared their bellowing chuckles, both reveling in the play that they had just witnessed, the comedy leaving both men breathless in their seats. Denathus and Castiel were far more civilized than their brothers, Castiel due to his nature, and Denathus due to his guilt. The Spartan desperately wanted to laugh boisterously with his brother, only holding back his laughter for the sake of the Athenian at his side. He felt like this was something that he did not deserve, not at the moment, not until he had completely righted the wrongs that he has caused the other man.

The four men made their way into the market place, Castiel describing the location to the men as they made their way through, calling the space that they were currently in Agora. Samthrian listened with hungry ears, taking in every piece of information as Gabriel wandered around, stopping to look at each small item that caught his attention. Eventually the older man started dragging Samthrian around to gaze upon each trinket too, leaving Castiel and Denathus all by themselves. The Athenian paid little attention to the Spartan, leaving Denathus to walk behind the other man, trailing far enough behind him as not to be a hindrance, but close enough not to lose track of the other man.

The two walked like this for sometime, the air between them stiff as they intentionally ignored each other. Denathus was itching from the silence, fidgeting slightly as he avoided the dark haired man, wracking his brain for an escape from this perilous state. As his mind wandered Castiel spoke, the words snapping Denathus from his mild trance, "Sorry?"

Castiel paused, turning his face towards Denathus as he spoke, his eyes heavy and distant, "I don't enjoy coming to this place."

Denathus paused, unsure as what to say to the other man, "I apologize for dragging you out here. Samthrian and I can come back on our own time later if you wish."

Castiel brushed the comment off lightly, as if the words had never left Denathus' mouth. He reached out to one of the stand before him, plucking a jar from the table and turning it in his hand, the intricate designs taking all of his attention, "The Agora once held such beautiful memories for me. This was my favorite place to go as a child, all the new sights and sounds just waiting to be discovered called out to me. I would spend hours looking at every stand that lined these streets; much like Gabriel is doing now. This place could never bore me, all of the untold secrets and mysteries just waiting to be uncovered by my small hands. That feeling was paradise." Castiel paused, placing the jar back down before turning to gaze up the street, "I wanted to share that feeling with everyone around me, dragging my mother, father, or siblings with me every day just to see what new things appeared under the shrouded stalls. One day Samandriel came running up to be, begging for me to take him to the market so he could purchase an orange. They had just come into season, though several weeks later than usual. They were Samandriel's favorite; you could always find one on him during the months of harvest. His joy passed to me, simply unable to say no to his smiling face I took him by the hand and led him to the market. We were just two young boys running through the streets, not a care in the world. We were invincible those around us, untouchable in a certain sense. The shocking realization came to me minutes later, the sound of galloping hooves like thunder shattering my reality in an instant. A merchant near the outskirts of the market lost control of his livestock, the beasts running crazed through the streets. The cries of panic and warning came too late, the fear and terror in Samandriel's eyes piercing me to the bone. I reached out for him only to be pushed to the side, knocked over by the force of the crowd fleeing from the on coming beasts. I watched helplessly as Samandriel fell to the pressure of the tide, his small body crushed under the weight of those fleeing for their lives. All I could do was gaze ahead, unable to understand what I had seen, my brother vanishing in an instance, as I did nothing. My family later found me at his side, his broken body in my arms as I clutched him tightly to my chest. Apparently I was weeping, rocking his body back and forth whispering into his ear. I was soaked in his blood and torn flesh, my brother's having to force my grip from his already broken body. All I can remember is watching his fingers relax, the orange that he had so desperately wanted slowly slipping from his fingers to roll softly down the street and out of sight. There is nothing that haunts me more than that moment. I was his older brother and there was nothing that I could do to protect him, he was my responsibility and I let him die."

Castiel's voice drifted off, his eyes glazing over the blue that just before had been full of life. Denathus found himself reaching out, his hand landing softly on the Athenians shoulder, "Cas-"

Castiel shrugged the hand off, turning from the other man and heading down the street, calling back to Denathus as he disappeared into the crowd, "I'll be at the house. Tell Gabriel not to worry about me, I'm fine."

Denathus stood silent as he watched Castiel leave, his mind still taking in the story that he had just been told when a slap to the back had his attention. Looking down Denathus saw Gabriel at his side, the smaller eating something that had crumbs circling his mouth and left his lips sticky. The golden haired man looked up at Denathus, his head cocking slightly as he stated, "Siren got your tongue?"

Denathus brought his gaze back to where Castiel had left, his voice steady as he said, "Castiel left. He said that he was heading back home."

Denathus could feel Gabriel's eyes on him, burning small holes into the side of his head, as he demanded, "What did you say to him?"

Denathus remained still, no hint of changing emotion as he replied, "He told me of Samandriel's death."

There was a moment of silence before Gabriel let out a low whistle, his voice a perfect replica of Denathus' tone, "Well aren't you just the lucky one. No one gets to hear that story, let alone from Castiel's own mouth."

Denathus paused, turning to look at Gabriel in shock, the realization of Castiel's confession stirring his heart. Before he could say anything though Gabriel was calling out, his voice carrying all through out the market as he yelled, "Colossus! Put those children down! They are not toys!"

Denathus turned to see Samthrian with a child on his shoulders as other hung from his arms, both the man and the small boys looking devastated at Gabriel's words. The Athenian made his way over to Samthrian, his eyes serious as he poked the taller in the chest, "Only I get the honor of sitting on your shoulders." Raising his arms Gabriel demanded, "Now hoist me up!"

Denathus put as much distance as he could between him and his brother the entire way home, Gabriel happier than Zeus and a prostitute sitting on Samthrian's shoulders, using the man's long hair as a bridal as he hollered, "To battle my majestic steed!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is where the confession comes in. I have lost interest in this story, but I have full intention to complete it. It just might take a little longer than planned. The next chapter will not take as long as this one did, but it will be a fair amount of time. I apologize for the inconvenience.
> 
> Another thing, I have recently found my love for Supernatural dwindling in the light of the new season, my passion for writing about it fading too. That being said, this is going to be my last Supernatural story for quite a while, my writing will be focused on other randoms for the foreseeable future. Once again, apologizes.


	19. URGENT

Hello my lovelies. I am sorry, but this is not an update. I thought that I would give you all the common courtesy of telling you that I will, most likely, not be updating this month. As a University student, I have taken a summer job. That job requires me attention from 5:30 in the morning until 9:00 at night, at which time I go to sleep, for six days a week. I will be writing in my spare time, but I cannot promise that anything will come from it. I sincerely apologies and I hope that you all stick with me with this. I am truly sorry. I love you all, and you riddle my mind quite often. Once again, I am deeply and wholeheartedly sorry.


	20. When you leave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A birthday gift from me to you, I give you chapter update! Yay! Sorry that it's a short one, but I had a really hard time with the order of the future chapters, and then there was the fact that I had an even harder time writing these two... Enough excuses, carry on.

The journey to the seaports was one that Johannus always made by herself, a retreat that allowed her the small amount of freedom from her mother and her responsibilities. Things had been growing more turbulent at home; the lengthening period in which the princes were gone was not easing the strain on any of them. It was nearing half a year, and there had not been a single word from either. Whispers had started being passed along the streets, tales of either death or sickness befalling the brothers tumbling from the tongues of those willing to share their version of the rumors. Some even went far enough to say that they had been captured, or seduced by foreign devil women. Johannus bitterly avoided those stories, a sharp pain piercing her heart every time that the idea of Denathus being in the arms of another graced her mind.

The rush of the sea and meaningless chatter that filled the port eased her troubled mind, the stories becoming nothing more than a bad dream in this peaceful place. The young woman made her way through the crowds, head covered as not to draw attention to the unusual color of her hair, the sun kissed shade that Denathus often praised. She could still feel the way that he would hesitantly touch it, as if it was a precious object that would shatter beneath his fingers. The memory brought a smile to her lips and a blush to her cheeks, eyes sparkling in the afternoon sun.

Lost in the past, she did not notice the man before her until it was too late. They collided awkwardly, Johannus spinning to the side from the force while the man dropped his armload startled. Moving to help the man pick up his bundles, Johannus apologized, "I am so sorry, I was not watching where I was going."

The girl looked up to address the man properly, ready to apologize once again before her words failed her. He was dark from his days on the sea, as wide as a door, and two heads taller than her. A cloth was wrapped around his head, and a beard covered most of his face, but what drew her attention were his eyes. His eyes were wild and untamed, a certain animalistic nature about them. His voice snapped her out of her stupor, the gruff rumble much unlike the baritone of Denathus, but a sound she liked nonetheless, "No harm done little lady. The opposite in fact, for I was obliged to meet one as lovely as yourself."

Johannus blushed deeply as the man took her hand in his, grinning slightly as he brought her hand to his lips to place a small gentle kiss on the back of her knuckles. She was at a loss for words, this man before unlike any she had ever meet before. Thankfully the silence did not last long, for the man gracefully dropped her hand, bowing slightly as he said, "Benjamin Lafitte, at your service. And who may you be?"

Johannus let her hand drop to her side, hyperaware of the appendage as she answered, her voice strong as she regained her composure, "Johannus of Sparta," she paused for a moment before continuing, "Where are you sailing from Benjamin?"

The man before her chuckled, a deep throaty laugh that reminded her of the warmth of a fire, "Please, call me Benny." The man lifted the sack that he had been carrying earlier, placing it on his shoulder before replying, "I have no one place that I can call home for I was born on a ship and on a ship I shall stay."

Johannus smiled, relaxing around the sailor as she teased, "That must make for a terribly lonely life, I couldn't imagine not having someone to return to."

Benny smiled, a playful spark coursing through his eyes, "I have yet to find the woman who gives me a reason to stay. Perhaps you could change that."

Johannus felt the blush return tenfold to her cheeks, shrugging off the compliment she hastily suggested, "You must have a woman waiting for you at every harbor you made port."

There was no even a moment's breath before Benny replied, "None as fair or interesting as you."

Johannus had no reply for the man, her mind trying to keep up with the on flow of praises coming from the sailor. She was startled when she felt a hand gracing the side of her face, a soft touch that cupped the side of her head and tangled in the waves of her hair. Raising her eyes she gazed upon Benny's face, the man enthralled by the sight before him, "You shouldn't cover your hair. I have never seen such a color before in my life. Surely you are a goddess, for one so perfect could not be of human blood."

Johannus fumbled for words, completely out of her comfort zone and not use to sure blatant flattery. This was something that she had never experienced before, being raised around boys making her accustom to sly jabs and halfhearted sincerity. This new form of treatment had her mind reeling, but not in dislike.

This sudden realization had her mind grinding to a halt, removing the man's hand from her face she hastily said, "I appreciate your words, but I am to be wed in less than a month."

Benny let out a sigh, clicking his tongue as he said, "That's a shame. To have such a woman before me and only have her snatched away. The gods must be punishing me."

Johannus ducked her head, shifting her weight slightly as she uttered, "I apologize for leading you on. It was a pleasure meeting you." She turned quickly, ducking her head down so Benny would not see the red flushing her cheeks.

Her stride did not falter as the sailor called out to her retreating form, voice echoing for all to hear, "Come back next year and see me again. Whether married or not, I will steal you away and treat you the way you deserve."

Johannus could not still the beating of her heart as she ran away from that pier, scolding herself over and over again on her trek home. She was getting married to the man she had loved for the past ten years. Denathus was the only man she would ever love.


	21. And you leave because you're certain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not dead, and this story IS still going. Life hit me hard these last couple months, but I am not going to let that get to me. The next chapter is already outlined and ready to be written. Since I am going to be spending a great deal of time writing this semester for school, I don't know if I will be pushed to write faster or not... On the other hand, I am taking a Greek History course, so I will be making changes and corrections to this story as I go. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this! You all deserve a great BIG SLOPPY KISS FROM THE PERSON OF YOUR DREAMS.
> 
> (And if you thought the last chapter was soap opera-y, I am just getting started)

Denathus walked into the Athenian home, his footsteps echoing in the halls that had never been silent, their echoing loneliness crawling beneath his skin. His feet took him down the narrow corridor towards the room that he would find the man he was chasing after in, the door opening with a faint moan under his hand. Castiel was sitting at the writing desk, his face a mask of concentration as the pen in his hand flowed over the paper before him flawlessly. The motion was well praticed, endess days of writing the same words engrained into each motion. Denathus found himself watcing for a moment before clearing his throat, the noise breaking the silent that was ringing in his ears.

Castiel made no motion that he had heard the noise, his focus solely on the piece of paper before him. The silence came back stronger than before, a feeling of unease melting into the emptiness. Denathus opened his mouth to speak, the resulting words cut off as Castiel spoke, "Is it wrong for me to be selfish?"

Denathus moved from the doorway, sliding into the room to sit on the other man's bed. Leaning his elbows against his legs, he bore his stare into the back of Castiel, "Talk to me."

The sound of the pen scratching against the paper filling the room, Castiel's attention solely on the work before him. Denathus waited as the minutes dragged by, his patience wearing thin as the seconds ticked by. Standing he strode to the desk, slamming his hand down on the paper that Castiel was current scribing. The brunette jumped, the pen jerking across the page. Started blue eyes rose to meet stern green, the innocence that Castiel so purely held cascading from them. Denathus did not faulter though, his voice concerned and forceful as he said, "What is going on Castiel?"

Castiel sighed, the tension leaving his body as he slumped in his seat. His hands rose to wipe the sleep and emotion from his eyes, recharging himself before answering Denathus, "Am I asking too much by wanting something for myself?"

Denathus crossed his arms, looking down at the other man, as he demanded, "Where is this coming from?"

Castiel turned his head, the feel of the Spartan's gaze on his body heavy and uncomfortable, "All I've ever wanted is something for myself, something that I could call my own. Really, it's a ridiculous notion." His voice trailed off, his thoughts carrying him away.

Denathus groaned, knowing that this was going to be harder than he had previously thought, "Castiel. Look at me."

The Athenian turned with reluctance, the faintest sparkling of tears in his eyes. Denathus softed, his arms falling to his sides and voice lowering, "Tell me what you are thinking."

Blinking several times, Castiel took in the sight f the man before him, the Spartan oozing the sincerity that plagued his voice. With a heavy heart and tightening throat, Castiel began, "Why is it that I can never have anything for myself? That's all that I've ever wanted, someone that I can love and call my own. But it seems that fate has decided I should be by myself for the rest of my life."

Castiel paused, finding the strength to continue with his admittance, "Samandriel was the first, he was my younger brother and I failed him. It was my job to take care of him, to love him and make sure that nothing would happen to him. That is what older brother's are meant to do, care for the younger and love him more than life. And yet I failed, I failed and that curse has followed me for the rest of my life. It seeped into every aspect of my life and poisoned it. Yes, I have the rest of my family, but that is never the same. The love between my siblings and I has never reached the level of admiration I held for my youngest brother, heaven's littlest angel. That misfortune oozed beyond my family also, tainting the first love that I ever had. She was torn from my hands with just as equal voracity. It was at that moment that I had decided to never love another again, the pain too much to bear. I believed that I had suffered enough. And now fate has turned her cruel hand again, bringing you to me just to have you taken from me yet again."

Denathus shot up, tension rising up his back as his temper simmered beneath his flesh, "Who said that I was going to leave you?"

Castiel's wide blue eyes sang of his abandonment, the empty black hole of his pupil just as dark and bottomless as the one in his heart, "Then promise me that you are going to stay. Tell me that you are not going to sweep in here just as easily as you swept in. That you don't have other's waiting for your return, other's that love you and wish for your return. Tell me that you are not going to return to the woman that holds your heart and is waiting anxiously to bind herself to you for the rest of her life. If you can promise me that none of this will happen, I will believe you whole-heartedly. But until that moment, I cannot believe a single word that comes from your mouth."

Denathus froze, the lup that had formed in his throat causing him to choke. The images of those that he left behind in Sparta flashed through his mind one by one, each one building on the guilt that devoured his heart. The image of Johannas formed before him, her gentle smile ripping at his heart as he recalled her words to him, " _Promise that you are going to come back to me._ "

Hands shaking, Denathus made his choice, reaching out for the man before him as he croaked, "On my life, Castiel, I will never leave you behind. I will always come back for you."

Eyes blue as the summer seas shone with tears, their hope and trust burning stronger than fire. Reaching out for the face that held complete and utter faith in him, Denathus placed his lips gently against Castiel's, comforting the broken man before him.

Elsewhere a red cloak billowed in the wind, a message for his princes pressing on his mind.


	22. Icarus is flying too close to the sun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since it is November and I don’t have enough of my novel idea to properly write it out, I decided to finish all the stories I started! Yay! 
> 
> Some things to note: 1) I am trying to keep with proper time lines age wise, so Adam is 14 years old. 2) I am purposely making Michael put you on edge. I am writing him to be possessive and ruthless, something that I really don’t think is that much of a stretch of the imagination. 3) Hekatonheires is translated to “100 hander’s”. They are siblings to the Titans in Greek Mythology. They are literally giants with 100 hands. 4) Attica is what Greeks use to call what they knew to be Greece. The term can be found in many surviving poems, plays, ect. 5) Gabriel’s behaviour will make sense in the next chapter- I will explain then- And lastly 6) Since I will be pumping these out, the editing will be very minimal. Sorry about the mistakes.

Adamus walked into the city, his sandals scratching against the stones as he made his way through the city. Bombarded by the colour and magnificent of his surroundings had him walking aimlessly, his image similar to that of Samthrian when he first passed through the cities gates. Letting his feet guide him, Adamus strolled between buildings, people parting around the foreigner with caution, tentative whispers flowing between loose lips. Many fretted about the appearance of yet another Spartan, others commenting on the whether or not this meant Sparta was considering answering the Athenian plea for help. None of these whispers reached the boys ears though, his youthful mind captivated by what was around him.

With his mission forgotten, Adamus journeyed forward, stopping at various locations to examine a statue or to purchase a curious fruit that he had never had the pleasure of looking at before. It was during this expedition that he was discovered.

While gazing long and hard at beautifully painted statue of Athena, a deep voice called to him, making the boy turn around with a jump, “What are you doing here?”

The childlike curiosity dropped from Adamus’ face, a stone like complexion taking over along with his years of training, “I was simply gazing upon this statue. Is that a crime here?”

The man who called on him chuckled, a smile teasing at his lips, “Of course not. I was simply wondering why you, a young Spartan, were walking around the centre of Athens.”

Adamus blushed, turning his head so the man would not see it, “I am carrying a message from a King of Sparta, the recipients are somewhere in this city.”

He heard the man hum, slowly turning back towards him when no further words were spoken. This allowed the boy to take in the face of the stranger properly for the first time. He was a man of good height, not tall but certainly not short, nearly half a foot taller than Adamus. He had dark hair and sharp features, his strong jaw line covered by the beginnings of a full beard. His eyes sparkled, the combination of green and brown capturing the boy.

Smiling down at the child, the man spoke, “I believe I know where to find the people that you are looking for.” 

Adamus examined the man, hesitant to heed his words, “And how would you know who I am looking for?” 

Taking a step towards Adamus, the man stated, “Two men: one with dark hair, the other light, both Spartan, taller than I am and twice as wide. They came here nearly half a year ago and make no sign that they wish to leave. They go by the name Denathus and Samthrian. Could they possibly be the men that you are looking for?”

Adamus glared at the man, his cock-sure attitude grating on his nerves, “Yes, that would be them.” 

The man continued smiling, holding his arm out for the boy to take, his eyes glittering with something that Adamus couldn’t put his finger on, “If you come with me, I can take you to them.”

Adamus raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms as he declared, “I don’t even know your name.”

The man laughed, the lack of joy putting Adamus on edge, “My name is Michael. And might I ask for yours?”

Adamus took a step towards Michael hesitantly, cautiously taking the man’s arm, “Adamus.”

Michael looked down at the boy, placing his hand over the boys to hold him in place, “Well Adamus, it is a pleasure to met you. Now, if you would follow me, I shall take you to the men that you seek.”

Adamus nodded, walking beside the man as he guided him through the crowed streets, the hand that rested upon his burning the entire trip. The man’s size a prominent for thought on Adamus’ mind the entire time. 

It did not take longer for them to reach the house, Michael leading the boy straight into the court yard, calling out as he did so, “Denathus! Samthrian! There is someone here to see you.” 

Adamus could hear footsteps coming towards him, voices jovial and carefree as they echoed down the hallway. Adamus was surprised when four men rather than two appeared before him, only two of them he recognized. Dropping his hand from Michael’s arm he took a step forward, ducking his head before speaking, “Denathus, Samthrian, I come with news from your Father, King Johnaus.”

There was a snort of laughter, Adamus raising his head with a stern frown of his face to acknowledge the source of the noise. The short man standing next to Samthrian had his hand on his mouth, barely covering the smile that was full of teeth, “Did you hear that Cassie? He said hekatonheires’ dad was a King.”

The man laughed again before he was hushed, a dark haired male beside Denathus hissing out, “Gabriel! Can you not see that this is not a laughing matter!” 

The golden haired man became silent, his face dropping as he turned to Samthrian, “Wait, he’s not serious is he?” Samthrian exchanged a nervous glance with Denathus, neither willing to elaborate on the newly discovered information. Gabriel, ignoring the stern glance from Castiel, plowed ahead, “Oh, well isn’t this just great! We’ve had two princes living with us for the better part of a year. And when was this little tid bit of information going to be made known to us?” He paused for a second, his face falling slightly as he realized, laughing darkly “For the love of Zeus, I’ve been fucked by a prince! A prince! What’s next, Ares is going to drop from the sky and have his way with me? Well he better get in line, cause it’s getting pretty damn long with all the royalty in Attica coming tomorrow just to get a piece of this!” 

Samthrian turned towards Gabriel, taking the smaller man by the shoulders in order to hold him steady, “Gabriel, I need you to calm down.”

“Calm down! Oh yeah, sure thing, calm is first on my long list of things I need to prioritize in my life right now. Right after it is MAKE SURE I DON’T LOSE MY HEAD FOR SLEEPING WITH THE PRINCE.”

Samthrian paused, letting Gabriel take a breath before cautiously saying, “You know that’s not how things work in Sparta right?”

Gabriel exploded, throwing Samthrian’s hands off of him as he yelled, “DO I LOOK LIKE I GIVE A SHIT?” 

In a whirl of motion, Gabriel found himself pressed up against a wall, Adamus glaring at him with teeth ground tight, “Raise a hand against Samthrian again and you will move no more.”

Burning the child in his sight Gabriel hissed, “Do you think you scare me?”

It was at that breaking point that Denathus and Samthrian finally decided to step in, pulling the two apart as quickly as possible. Denathus got his body between Gabriel and Adamus, talking down to the younger as Samthrian attempted to sooth Gabriel, “What is the news that you bring us?”

Adamus refused to meet Denathus’ eye, continuing to stare at Gabriel the entire time that he spoke, “You are to come back to Sparta immediately, there has been call for an election in light of your lack of presence.”

Samthrian turned at Adamus’ words, his voice breaking slightly as he spoke, “An election? What for?” 

Adamus ducked his head briefly, shamed that he was the one to speak these words, “Your father is dying. He hasn’t much longer to live.” 

The room was silent, every set of eyes on the Spartan’s, waiting to see what would happen next. The first to move was Castiel, placing his hand lightly on Denathus’ shoulder. The Spartan lifted his hand to cover it, giving it a firm squeeze before dropping it back down, “So hold the election. Leave us out of it.”

Adamus was stunned, shocked for a moment before exclaiming, “You know the laws! If one of you still lives you is to succeed your father! There has been no proof for your deaths, no shields brought back in your honor.  Either one of you comes back alive, or both of you come back dead.”


End file.
